Triangular contest on the cards in Lahaul and Spiti

Dipender Manta

INADEQUATE development, lack of basic infrastructure for promoting tourism and poor telecommunication services are the key poll issues in the Lahaul and Spiti Assembly constituency.

A triangular contest is on cards in the tribal constituency. BJP’s Tribal Development Minister Ram Lal Markanda, Congress’Ravi Thakur (ex-MLA) and AAP’s Sudershan Jaspa (social activist) are expected to campaign hard to woo voters.

Locals are unhappy with poor development. After the opening of the Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway, tourist influx to the Lahaul valley has increased considerably. But, the state could not develop basic infrastructure to promote tourism in the valley.

During monsoon, floods created havoc in a few villages in the district. The affected villagers were demanding their rehabilitation to safer places, but no concrete steps were taken. Implementation of the Forest Rights Act is another major demand of locals.

Besides, students find it hard to study because of poor Internet connectivity in villages. The opening of Government Degree College at Kaza in the Spiti valley to provide higher education opportunities to students is a long-pending demand, but to no avail. Strong resentment prevails among people against the government. Locals also rue the poor health services in this tribal district.