Keen to improve basic infra in Spiti to facilitate locals: Sukhu

Pratibha Chauhan

Kaza (Spiti), April 16

With the ruggedness of the inhospitable Spiti Valley making life difficult for the villagers, the state government will get an infrastructure study done to assess the developmental needs with regard to water, power, roads, health, education and communication.

“Our government is keen to improve basic infrastructure and create facilities with use of latest technology not just to improve the quality of life for the locals but also to give a major fillip to tourism,” said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who spent two days here interacting with people in the Spiti Valley.

Even as villagers struggle for better health, education and communication facilities, the state government is keen to strengthen infrastructure under the Vibrant Border Village programme for villages located close to the border with China. The Union Home Ministry has launched the scheme for 46 border villages in four states to minimise migration from the villages.

So far, Gue and Lalung in the Spiti Valley have been chosen under a Central government scheme to cater to the development requirements of the villagers. The Kaza administration has constituted a committee comprising officials from key departments so that a detailed report can be submitted to the Centre for further action.

Sukhu today held detailed discussions with Alok Kumar, Union Power Secretary, who specially flew down here from Delhi to hold deliberations with the Chief Minister on tapping solar energy to solve the problem of erratic and unreliable power supply in the area. The Chief Minister had yesterday visited the proposed site for the setting up of a

2 MW solar plant at Rong Tong, where a 4 MW hydel power project is located.

Spiti Valley is often plunged into darkness, at times for days together during the winters due to inadequate power supply from Bhabanagar in Kinnaur and the Rong Tong hydel projects. These are able to generate merely 400 million units against its capacity of 4 MW due to less discharge.

“In the absence of an ultrasound facility here, expectant mothers and people suffering from ailments have to travel all the way to Kullu, Chandigarh or Shimla, making our lives miserable,” lamented Kesam Dolkar (31) from Hal village.

Children after Class XII are forced to go to Kullu, Shimla, Chandigarh or Hamirpur to pursue college education, said Sonam, a student of Class X.

The Chief Minister announced a government degree college at Kaza and assured that 4G mobile services would be provided to ensure better connectivity. The government will also explore the possibility of setting up a good residential school up to Class XII in which students from the Spiti Valley could be imparted quality education.

No ultrasound facility

In the absence of ultrasound facility here, expectant mothers and people suffering from ailments have to travel all the way to Kullu, Chandigarh or Shimla. — Kesam Dolkar, Hal village resident

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