Landslides hamper timely supply of veggies from Lahaul to markets

Farmers and vegetable traders in the Lahaul valley are facing increasing difficulties in transporting their fresh produce to major markets in Mandi, Bilaspur and Chandigarh. Frequent landslides during the ongoing monsoon season have severely disrupted road connectivity between Mandi and Kullu.

Farmers allege that vehicles plying through the Kandi-Kataula and Kandi-Pandoh routes are often stranded for hours at key points like Bajaura and Aut. This unnecessary delay is causing financial losses to the farmers, as their fresh vegetables fail to reach markets in time and lose their value.

The aggrieved farmers have submitted a memorandum regarding their grievances to the Mandi Divisional Commissioner. They have urged the Deputy Commissioners of Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti, along with the Superintendents of Police, to issue clear instructions for allowing an unhindered passage to vehicles carrying agricultural produce from Lahaul. The memorandum also urged the authorities concerned to set fixed timings for vehicle movement in both directions to avoid confusion and minimise delay.

Mohan Lal Relingpa, a farmer of Lahaul, says that due to the poor condition of the highway between Mandi and Kullu, vehicles carrying vegetables get stuck in long traffic jams for hours, delaying the delivery of the perishable produce to the market. As a result, the farmers of Lahaul are facing inconvenience in transporting their vegetable produce to the markets in time. Due to the delay in their produce reaching markets, they are not getting fair prices.

Former MLA of Lahaul and Spiti Ravi Thakur says that several affected farmers had brought the issue to his notice. He emphasises the need for immediate intervention by the administration. He says that during his tenure as MLA, the Lahaul administration had appointed a dedicated officer at Bajaura to prioritise the passage of vegetable-laden vehicles. He requested the administration to reintroduce the system.

Ravi says that Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul and Spiti, Kiran Bhadana has assured him that swift action will be taken to address the issue. The traffic disruption and delayed transportation of vegetables are adding to the woes of farmers, who are already battling harsh weather conditions and limited market access.