Fourteen villages in the Pin valley of Lahaul & Spiti have decided to boycott the Panchayati Raj elections scheduled for end-May, because the district authorities have failed to build a 64 km-long road that connects Attargu Mud in Pin to Bhaba Nagar in Kinnaur district for several years.
Fed up with the delay, the numberdars of the 14 villages held a meeting under the leadership of the Kothi Numberdar, SP Bodh, a few days ago, to pass this resolution.
“We have decided to deny entry to political parties to even campaign in the area. We have been seeking a road for so many years.
We have been patient, but nobody listened to us. We believe that such strong measures are necessary to draw attention to our plight and compel authorities to act,” Bodh told The Tribune.
Kunzang Gatuk, another resident, asserted that the road was not merely a development project but a lifeline for local residents who continue to face severe hardships due to the lack of connectivity.
“We have submitted a memorandum to the state government through Additional Deputy Commissioner Kaza for urgent consideration,” Gatuk told this reporter, adding, “A collective decision had been made after consulting villagers across their respective panchayat areas to boycott the upcoming Panchayat Raj elections if no immediate action was taken with regard to the construction of the road.
“The people have warned that the protest could extend to future Assembly and Lok Sabha elections if the government continued to ignore our demands,” he remarked.
Besides SP Bodh and Kunzang Gatuk, Numberdars Sonam Paldan, Chhewang Gatuk and Lobzang Dorje have also urged the administration to treat the matter with urgency and initiate immediate steps toward the construction of the proposed road.
According to official sources in the Public Works Department, forest clearance is awaited for the construction of this road project, which is why it is delayed. A detailed project report of Rs 99 crore has already been prepared for the purpose.
Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana told The Tribune that the road project was hanging fire for the last 25 years.
She said that she had raised this issue twice in the Vidhan Sabha, and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had assured her that he would provide the budget for the construction work.
“A part of this project falls under Kinnaur district, where forest clearance is awaited. The state government is trying to get forest clearance but hasn’t succeeded yet,” she said.
Rana said the project was strategically important and plans were afoot to transfer the project to Border Roads Organisation.
“The completion of this project will reduce over 100 km distance between Pin valley and Shimla. It will definitely improve transportation service to the region, which will give impetus to the tourism industry here,” the MLA said.
Shikha Simtia, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kaza, confirmed that she had received a memorandum from the area residents regarding their demand.
“I am scheduled to meet these people on April 30 to find a solution to their problem. Every possible effort will be made to persuade them to ensure their participation in the PRI elections,” she told The Tribune.
