Section of Chellanam residents boycott polls

As a mark of protest against the unresolved problem of sea erosion

Joyce Babu, a housewife from Kannamali along the coastal belt of the Kochi Assembly constituency, was among those who chose to boycott the election as a mark of protest under the aegis of Kochi Chellanam Janakeeya Vedhi. And, the reason for her boycott could be seen right next to her house along a fully collapsed seawall that hardly serves the purpose of keeping marauding sea waves from surging into households in the neighbourhood during every high tide. “All political parties have shared power but have failed to offer us any respite from our nightmare. All they have given us over the years have been empty promises. Why should we even bother to vote for people who don’t care for us?” asked 55-year-old Ms. Babu who has been living there for 25 years now.