By Admin 
A BLO from Rajasthan, engaged in the work of voter list revision i.e. SIR, has committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. Two have died of heart attack. Many have become unconscious while working in the field or have become ill and are admitted to the hospital. The work pressure on booth level officers engaged in SIR work is so much that these days they are working in the field for 15 to 16 hours daily.
At many places people surround them and fight. Ask absurd questions and put pressure on them. In such a situation, under what mental pressure are the BLOs engaged in SIR work working and what kind of difficulties are they facing in the field. To find out the answers to how the pressure from the officers affects them and whether they will be able to complete the SIR work on time, ABP News team went to ground zero and went among the BLOs working in the field.
‘Leave home at 7:00 to 8:00 in the morning…’
Even in Jaipur city where there are mostly educated and aware people, BLOs were seen surrounded by crowds everywhere. At some places the BLO was surrounded by five people and at other places by a dozen people. Even when BLOs are scanning the streets and alleys, many people walk along with them, talking. At some places the BLO has used the scooter as a table and at other places they have kept the forms on the bike and fill them and check them. In Badanpura area of the city, a BLO was seen working by placing a form on a garbage bag.
Most of the BLOs say that they leave home between 7:00 to 8:00 in the morning and reach their home between 10 to 11 in the night. Sometimes it takes even longer than this. He says that after the start of SIR work, he is neither able to eat properly nor get enough sleep. According to him, his life has become miserable for the last three weeks. Officials constantly show fear of action while at many places the public exerts pressure and asks absurd questions. Now he has started feeling problems physically and mentally.
‘It is not possible to complete the work of SIR within a month…’
Most of the BLOs say that it is not possible to complete the SIR work within a month. There should be an extension of at least one to two months in this. According to BLO, they are facing a lot of problems. People are dying and falling ill due to pressure. He himself and his family get scared after hearing things about his colleagues. The BLO working as SIR in the field says that he has no qualms in doing the work, but adequate time and resources should be given for it.
‘Work for at least 15 to 16 hours every day…’
Teacher Abdul Hameed, who is working as a BLO, says that he is working at least 15 to 16 hours daily. Despite doing so much work, the officials continue to apply pressure. They keep scolding and threatening. According to him, in the last 17-18 days, on an average, he is unable to sleep for more than 3 hours and has no time even to eat. The work pressure is very high. It is absolutely not possible to complete the work of SIR in just one month. At least two more months’ time should be given.
‘Life has become worse than that of labourers’
Para teacher Firoz Hasan has also been deployed as BLO in SIR work. He says that people come to his room even at 12 o’clock in the night to get and submit the forms. He is a part time teacher and gets only Rs 15000 as allowance. Even with such low salary, he is working 16 hours a day. Their life has become worse than that of laborers. People harass in the field and officers keep scolding and pressurizing in meetings. They also believe that it is not at all possible to complete the work within a month.
‘The most difficult thing is to find each and every voter…’
Urban Development i.e. UDH Department employee Arpit Chaturvedi is working as BLO in Adarsh Nagar area of Jaipur city. House number is not serial. Most of the people here live on rent. In such a situation, finding each voter is proving to be the most difficult task. He works from morning till night. The work increases even more on holidays. He says that there is a lot of pressure and tension regarding work, but he is trying to complete his work somehow.
‘BLOs are working in extremely adverse conditions…’
Rupendra Singh, associated with the Public Health Department, is working as a BLO in Badanpura area of the city. He also says that he is facing all kinds of problems while working in the field, but it is only for a month, so he is managing somehow.
Councilor representative Mohammad Shakir said in this context that BLOs are working in very adverse conditions, hence he himself is helping the BLOs by calling the voters at one place.