Alappuzha: In an island of despair, belief in democracy is very much alive. Around 1230 voters on Kakkathuruthu island on the Vembanad backwater live in abject conditions. Over decades, they have inured themselves to moving around on bad roads and living without clean water and proper healthcare. On election day, they still line up at the polling booth with the hope that a change is around the corner.
Eligible voters from 487 families cross the Vembanad lake to reach the polling booth at Eramalloor and cast their votes. There is a rare slice of luxury that comes with this trip to the polling booth. At least on that day, special country boats will arrive at the shores and vehicles will be waiting on the other bank to transport them free of cost to the polling booth.
“They could have allowed a polling booth on the island itself… Many elderly people like me find it difficult to travel. But I will be casting my vote for my party,” said 80-year-old Velayudan, one of the eldest citizens living on the nearly three-km-long island. For 35 years, he had been a country boat rower, transporting people from the island to the mainland and back.
The residents of Kakkathuruthu have lived without access to clean water for years. Even for primary necessities, water is scarce. The island has a pipe connection, frequent leakage makes it barely functional. " Now, for the last 15 days, there has been no water due to the pipe burst and the delay in repairing. What we want is a water storage tank on the island itself,” Marykutty (64), another native.
The absence of proper healthcare facilities only compounds their plight, leaving them vulnerable. “There is only an Ayurveda PHC here, so we are forced to go to Ezhupunna Government Hospital when we fall ill. The country boat fare itself comes to Rs 100. A ration shop is another of the basic facilities we want,” she pointed out.
As the next election approaches, the islanders find themselves at the crossroads. They have heard the promises before and seen the hopeful faces of politicians eager for their votes. The residents cite the bridge connectivity project as a classic example of this apathy.
“After much demand, the project to construct a bridge started in 2010. However, the project got stalled midway and we are still awaiting its completion. All the bread earners of the families here work outside the island. Furthermore, the country boats are our sole means of transportation even if some emergencies happen," points out Ouseph Cheruthuruth (67), who had earlier worked as UDF booth president.
The people of Kakkathuruthu are resilient, their spirit unbroken despite the challenges they face. “Beneath the challenges lies a flicker of hope, a belief that someday, those in power will hear our cries. Until then, we will continue to fight, to hope, and to dream of a better tomorrow,” Velayudan said, even as the sun set over the tranquil waters of Kakkathuruthu island, casting a golden hue over the horizon.
