Chamba villages grapple with blackouts, water shortage, severed road connectivity

Naresh Thakur

Chamba, February 4

Even as yet another spell of snow and rain hit the region on Sunday, local residents in remote villages of picturesque Chamba district find themselves grappling with a myriad challenges as several villages are plunged into darkness with power blackouts, water shortages and severed road connectivity.

Tough time for residents

• Residents in several villages are left without electricity for heating and basic amenities, intensifying the struggle to stay warm in the sub-zero temperatures
• The rupture of water supply lines has led to acute shortages in many villages, leaving residents without access to a vital resource
• Villagers find themselves isolated as road connectivity is snapped due to heavy snowfall, hindering the movement of people and transportation of essential goods
• Local authorities are employing snow-clearing machinery to reopen critical routes and restore accessibility to stranded communities

The winter wonderland that usually brings joy to the tourists has transformed into a place of hardship, as the snowfall has disrupted daily life in numerous communities in Churah, Pangi, Bharmour, Salooni and Dalhousie subdivisions of the district.

The weight of accumulated snow has taken a toll on power lines and utility poles, resulting in widespread power outages. As many as 125 power distribution transformers are still disrupted. A maximum 43 transformers are yet to be restored in Pangi followed by 35 in Tissa and 25 in Salooni.

Residents in several villages are left without electricity for heating and basic amenities, intensifying the struggle to stay warm in the sub-zero temperatures. Prem Singh, a resident of Salooni, said there has been no electricity in their area for the past four days. The electricity supply in Pangi region was again disrupted as the valley experienced another spell of snow on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the workforce of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board is working tirelessly to repair the damaged power infrastructure to restore normalcy.

Plummeting temperatures have caused water pipes to burst,toughening the challenges faced by locals. The rupture of water supply lines has led to acute shortages in many villages.

Efforts are underway to repair the damaged pipes and ensure restoration of regular water supply. Situation is very tough in remote areas of Pangi valley where villagers had to melt snow for drinking water as pipes and taps were frozen cold.

A resident of Sural village, a high altitude village, said: "We have to either melt snow for drinking water or carry it on mules from a stream flowing at some distance below the village."

Meanwhile, the road connectivity is still disrupted in several villages due to accumulated snow. Villagers find themselves isolated as road connectivity is snapped, hindering the movement of people and transportation of essential goods. Local authorities are employing snow-clearing machinery to reopen critical routes and restore accessibility to stranded communities.

As per the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), 58 roads across the district were still blocked, maximum 35 in Pangi followed by 17 in Bharmour. Roads closed for traffic include Chamba-Khajjiar- Dalhousie and Chamba-Jot-Chowari.

To add to the problem, communication networks have also taken a hit, making it difficult for residents to seek assistance or stay updated on the situation.

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