Yangla — a village sans connectivity

Deepender Manta

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Tribune News Service

Mandi, November 3

With no road connecting the village to the market, farmers of Yangla in Lahaul and Spiti are unable to transport their produce to mandis in time.

Nearly 25 families living in the village under the Gondhla panchayat have been demanding a road in the area but to no avail.

Ranjit Singh, a farmer, said: “We are forced to pay hefty amount to labourers, who carry our agriculture produce from the fields to the roadside or we hire horses for the purpose, which again costs us heavily.”

He said potatoes, peas and exotic vegetables were their main cash crops, but sometimes these got damaged in fields due to lack of road, unavailability of labourers or horses. “Road connectivity is the lifeline of development. It is a basic necessity and should be constructed on priority. Though there is a proposal, there is no progress on the project so far. If built in time, it will be a major relief for us,” he added.

Suraj Thakur, vice-pradhan of the gram panchayat, said: “Villagers are suffering due to lack of road connectivity. The Public Works Department had called in tenders twice in the past to construct a road and a bridge on the local river but the tenders were cancelled later. The panchyat authority has raised the issue with Lahaul and Spiti MLA and Agriculture Minister Ram Lal Markanda, who has assured us that the road would be constructed soon.”

Shashi Kiran, Mahila Congress district president and zila parishad member, said: “People of the district are lacking basic amenities. The state government should provide road connectivity to Yangla village on priority, which will be of great help to the famers of the area.”

Despite repeated attempts, Public Works Department SDO KD Kashyap did not respond to several phone calls.

Public Works Department SDO KD Kashyap said: “The construction of the bridge will begin within one or two days. The plan is to build a 6-km long road on the forest land. The PWD authorities have sent a proposal, seeking permission from the Forest Department in this regard.”

‘Sowing seeds of underdevelopment’

Road connectivity is the lifeline of development. It is a basic necessity and should be constructed on priority. Though there is a proposal, there is no progress on the project so far. If built in time, it will be a major relief for us. Ranjit Singh, a farmer

‘Work to begin in 2 days’

The construction of the bridge will begin within one or two days. The plan is to build a 6-km long road on the forest land. The PWD authorities have sent a proposal, seeking permission from the Forest Department in this regard. KD Kashyap, public works department sdo