In the wake of a recurring flood crisis along the Valdhuni riverbed in Kalyan East, approximately 3000 families have threatened to boycott the upcoming elections. The perennial deluge, exacerbated by encroachments on the riverbed, has plunged residents into a cycle of distress and damage every monsoon season.

The burgeoning threat stems from the expansion of a plot adjacent to the riverbed, facilitated by municipal authorities and a contracted party, resulting in the submersion of over 20% of the natural river course. This collaborative effort, lamented by aggrieved citizens, portends a worsening flood scenario, prompting widespread discontent and calls for action.

Despite vociferous protests and appeals for intervention, both the Municipal Corporation and the government have remained conspicuously inert. Former corporator Uday Rasal, spearheading efforts to address the crisis, has sought recourse through the National Green Tribunal, aiming to secure a stay order and safeguard the riverbed's ecological integrity.

In a bid to galvanize collective action, residents convened a meeting under the auspices of the Waldhuni River and Residents Defense Struggle Committee, seeking guidance from local leaders like Uday Rasal. However, disillusioned by the lack of tangible solutions and cooperation from elected representatives, residents have unanimously pledged to withhold their votes in the forthcoming elections.

Expressing resolve in their stance, residents emphasised the imperative of halting the encroachment and preserving the environmental sanctity of the riverbed.

Meanwhile, Rasal stated the imminent filing of a claim before the green arbitrator, while also enlisting the support of MP Shrikant Shinde in opposing the illicit riverbed occupation.

Amid mounting frustration and apprehension, the prospect of electoral abstention emerges as a potent tool of dissent, amplifying the residents' call for immediate action to avert an impending catastrophe.