Panchayat threatens poll boycott over disrupted telecom services in Lahaul, Spiti

The residents of Tingret panchayat in the Miyar valley of Lahaul and Spiti district are unable to communicate with their loved ones in the absence of telecommunication services. They have threatened to boycott the Lok Sabha elections and the Lahaul and Spiti Assembly byelection if the telecomm services that were disrupted due to heavy snowfall are not restored at the earliest. The BSNL is the sole telecom service provider in the valley.

The panchayat accuses the BSNL authorities of adopting an indifferent attitude with regard to restoring telecomm services in this region, despite several pleas in the past one week.

Kumari Anita, Tingret panchayat pradhan, said, “When I contacted a BSNL officer to apprise him about the problem they are facing in the absence of telecomm services, he disconnected the phone call. Such an indifferent attitude on the part of an officer is not acceptable.”

She said, “At a time when the Central Government is propagating the Digital India campaign across the country, the situation is quite different for the residents of the valley. Discrimination against the Miyar valley should be ended and telecomm and Internet services should be strengthened in this region.” She added that if the BSNL did not restore the services in time, we will boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha election and the Lahaul and Spiti Assembly byelection.”

Anuradha Rana, chairman of Lahaul and Spiti Zila Parishad, said, “I contacted the General Manager of the BSNL in Mandi district over the issue. He assured me that a BSNL team would soon visit the valley to restore telecomm services.” Tribune India