Villagers of remote area in Darcha seek health centre

Dipender Manta

Mandi, December 23

Residents of remote Yoche village of Darcha panchayat in Lahaul and Spiti district have urged the state government to open a primary health centre near their homes.

They say that due to the lack of medical facilities near their village, many families shift to the lower region during the winter every year because the area becomes inaccessible due to snowfall.

Baldev Singh, a resident of Yoche village, says, “Due to the lack of medical facilities, villagers face a lot of inconvenience during the winter, particularly during emergency, because it becomes difficult for them to move out of the village. The link road remains snapped for several days because of heavy snowfall.”

Link road remains snapped in winter

Due to the lack of medical facilities, villagers face inconvenience during emergencies in winter… The link road remains snapped for days because of snowfall. — Baldev Singh, Resident, Yoche village

He says, “So, there is an urgent need to open a primary health centre at Yoche village. The villagers have also approached Lahaul and Spiti MLA Ravi Thakur for this.”

He says, “There are around 15 houses in Yoche village. The nearby health centre is at Darcha, about 12 km away from Yoche village. The village is avalanche prone, which makes movement risky during the winter.”

Tsewang Norboo, pradhan, Darcha gram panchayat, says, “The Health Department has asked Yoche residents to provide land for a primary health centre. As soon as the land is made available, the department will start the process for

the construction.”

The MLA says, “Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil has assured me that the needful will be done.”