DHARAMSHALA: The remote Pangi region in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh is almost cut off from rest of the world after snowfall. Chamba figures in national list of backward districts from Himachal. People of Pangi area have complained of government laxity for not making adequate arrangements of transport, water supply and power supply.

Pangi Kalyan Sangh, with 52 representatives, has stated that it was after many years that snowfall happened early and many villages are facing blackout since last many days. Roads are closed but government has not announced any schedule for helicopter services till yet, they complained.

Veeru Rana, one of the spokesperson of the Sangh, while talking to TOI on Tuesday said that adding to troubles of Pangi residents the government as per a recent notification is going to shift divisional office of Irrigation and Public health services from Pangi to Tissa .

“If this office gets shifted, one has to travel around 1400 km via Jammu & Kashmir to reach this office at Tissa. During snowfall the road via Sachpass (the shortest route to Chamba) remains closed” he added.

People have also met the resident commissioner at Pangi to express their resentment. They have submitted a memorandum with the authorities seeking government action to get relied in harsh winters.

Sukhdev Singh, the commissioner at Pangi, confirmed that a delegation has met him raising their demand of not shifting the divisional office of I&PH, seeking mobile connectivity, proper ration supply to far flung areas of Pang and to fulfil the vacant posts of employees at government offices.

“I have assured the delegation that their demands will be conveyed to the government authorities at higher level” he added.

People of Pangi usually have to travel from J&K to reach their district headquarters at Chamba for months. The other route via Sach Pass receives heavy snow and is open for them for few months between May to October.

They are demanding that government should therefore declared the scheduled of helicopter at the earliest. The fares, however, have already been announced for the same recently.

