Odisha plans green polling booths in Ganjam, Kandhamal

Berhampur: People in Ganjam and Kandhamal districts can expect a novel experience when they go to polling stations to cast their votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced four-phase elections in the State on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.

Apart from introducing all-women and persons with disabilities (PWD) managed booths, both district authorities have decided to set up eco-friendly polling stations, aiming to engage and educate voters on environmental sustainability. These green polling booths will be entirely plastic-free and adorned with fully biodegradable materials, officials said.

The objective behind this initiative is to raise awareness about a plastic-free environment and attract voters to the polling booths, they added. The idea of eco-friendly polling booths is, however, not new. Previous elections in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division, Goa, Meghalaya, Assam and panchayat elections in Ernakulam district in Kerala have witnessed the setup of eco-friendly booths to engage voters and promote a plastic-free environment.

Ganjam District Collector Dibyajyoti Parida said they have planned to set up 13 plastic-free booths with at least one in each Assembly constituency in the upcoming elections. The district has 13 Assembly constituencies with 3,077 polling booths.

The booths will refrain from using plastic and instead utilise cloth and minimal paper. Natural colours will be used to mark the booths, he said.

Similarly, in Kandhamal district, around 25 green booths will be set up.

These booths will be decorated with saplings and the waiting area and corridors of the polling stations will be covered with green sheds. Earthen utensils like pots and mugs will be kept for drinking water, said Kandhamal Collector Ashish Ishwar Patil.

Patil mentioned that the eco-friendly booths will be primarily established in schools, preferably those equipped with solar panels. Even schools without green energy infrastructure in urban areas will be utilised to sensitise voters about climate change and promote a plastic-free environment.

The State government has already imposed a ban on the use, stock and transport of single-use plastic since December 2021, further aligning with the efforts to create eco-friendly polling environments.