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Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, April 14
The Election Commission will set up a polling booth for 70 voters in Bara Bhangal, the remotest village in Kangra district.
Kangra Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar said election material would be sent to Bara Bhangal by air on May 16.
“In case, a helicopter is not able to reach the region due to bad weather, teams will be sent on foot via Holi in Chamba district,” the DC said. There are 345 registered voters in Bara Bhangal. Sources said since most people migrate from Bara Bhangal to the lower areas in winter, there would be around 70 voters.
Situated at a height of 7,700 ft in the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges of the Himalayas, Bara Bhangal is considered to be the remotest village in the hill state.
The first polling booth was set up in the village during the Assembly elections in 2007.
Voters in Bara Bhangal did not participate in the electoral process in 2009 as their demand to exclude the village from the sanctuary area was not met. They had, however, voted in the 2012 Assembly elections.
Helicopters were used to lift polling parties to the Bara Bhangal polling booth during the previous three elections.
Before 2007, the villagers used to trek 72 km through the 4,654-m Thamsar Pass or travel more than 300 km via Chamba to reach Bir in Baijnath (Kangra district) to exercise their franchise.
Most people in the village are shepherds and migrate to Bir in winter. However, many stay in the village, braving the harsh weather. During summer, a large number of shepherds, who take their livestock across the Dhauladhars for grazing, use Bara Bhangal as a halting station. Last year, as many as 2,000 shepherds got trapped in Bara Bhangal due to heavy snow at the Thumsar Pass.
Houses unnamed peaks
Situated at a height of 7,700 ft in the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges of the Himalayas, Bara Bhangal consists of a host of virgin unnamed peaks, healthy and active glaciers, glacial meadows, lakes and sparkling river-rivulets.
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