Ghaziabad: “You give us vote, we (politicians) will give you garbage and dengue”, read some of the banners put up outside Gulmohar Enclave, a residential society in Ghaziabad. The posters also feature pictures of top functionaries of the major parties — BJP Congress , SP and BSP.Residents are using election time to express displeasure with politicians for making empty promises. In this society, the are demanding the removal of a dumping ground just 50 metres away from their building. There are 625 flats in the society and 1,800 voters . They have threatened to use NOTA in the April 11 election if their problem is not resolved.Gaurav Bansal, the RWA media incharge, said, “We have been facing this problem for the past five-six years, but no political party has ever paid any attention to it. Ghaziabad MP Gen VK Singh (retd) had visited the locality last time during the 2014 Lok Sabha election, but after that he never came here. Same goes for other politicians.” He added, “Garbage from all over the place is dumped here. Even as Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation’s vehicles come here to dispose of garbage, stray animals like dogs, cattle and pigs pose a threat to children.”Rekha Vijay, another resident, echoed similar sentiments. “It is our collective decision not to vote for any political party and go for NOTA if our problem is not resolved. It is our last resort after failing to draw the attention of officials despite writing to them several times over the past years.”Residents say political parties are now sending feelers to them through their local functionaries to vote for them after coming to know about their unique protest. “How can we believe them now, when they failed to fulfil their promises in the past?” said Sunita Bhatia, joint secretary of the society’s RWA.Some residents said police removed the posters on Wednesday morning. “New posters will be once again put up in a couple of days. We are not violating any model code of conduct,” Bansal added.Similarly, a section of residents of DLF Ankur Vihar and SLF Ved Vihar have decided to boycott the elections RP Pandey, social activist and former president of DLF Ankur Vihar RWA, said, “Residents are not going to fall in the trap this time. Our locality is in a shambles. Roads are broken, drains are overflowing and garbage is being dumped everywhere. Most importantly, the civic body has failed to repair a 100-meter road – MM road – which is the lifeline of the twin localities in the past two years.”Leaders of opposition parties, Congress and SP-BSP alliance, blame the BJP for the prevailing situation. “The BJP is in the government at every level at present. The current MP seldom visited his constituency, so he can’t be trusted for resolving local issues,” said Vinod Pradhan, BSP district president.BJP city president Maan Singh Goswami, however, brushed the allegations aside. “One or other issue will always remain. Residents should look at the larger picture and must exercise their franchise.”

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