SVEEP men trek hills, paddle on lake to reach voters in Bhutan, the last village

Naresh Thakur

Chamba, April 10

A SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) team in Bhattiyat subdivision in Chamba paddled through a lake and trekked for hours to reach out to the voters in one of the remotest villages of the region, Bhutan.

During the previous elections, the village witnessed a low voter turnout of only 43 per cent. Led by Sub-divisional Magistrate-cum-Assistant Returning Officer Paras Aggarwal, alongside SVEEP nodal officer Akashdeep Sharma, the SVEEP team organised voter awareness activities in the village.

Inaccessible by road

• Bhutan lies at the juncture of Himachal Pradesh's borders with the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the state of Punjab. It is the last village in the Bhattiyat Assembly segment
• The tiny hamlet is inaccessible by road, requiring a journey involving hours of walking and crossing the Ranjit Sagar Dam by a boat

Bhutan lies at the juncture of Himachal Pradesh’s borders with the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the state of Punjab. It is the last village in the Bhattiyat Assembly segment. Reaching the village presents a formidable challenge as the tiny hamlet is inaccessible by road, requiring a journey involving hours of walking and crossing the Ranjit Sagar Dam by a boat.

However, the determination of the SVEEP team prevailed, marking a significant moment when they reached the village to educate residents about the importance of voting. The team initiated various initiatives such as a signature campaign, distribution of invitation letters, and organising activities like slogan-writing and stamping to engage the youth.

Senior voters were honoured, reflecting the team’s commitment to inclusivity and civic participation. Residents seized the opportunity to highlight their grievances to the administration, including the need for improved infrastructure and access to basic amenities like roads and drinking water.

The village falls within the jurisdiction of the Mail panchayat and has 194 registered voters. There are two primary schools in the area with only one and three students, respectively. Many families have migrated from the area due to a lack of facilities.

Aggarwal also interacted with the students and reviewed the school activities. He assured the villagers that everything possible would be done to resolve their issues and urged them to ensure 100 per cent voting in the upcoming elections.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer Mukesh Repaswal has commended the SVEEP team and the Assistant Returning Officer of Bhattiyat, acknowledging their pivotal role in strengthening democracy. Booth-Level Officer Balwinder, Panchayat Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, and anganwadi worker Asha Kumari were among others present on the occasion, alongside panchayat representatives and villagers.

The Election Commission of India has launched a special campaign in Himachal Pradesh to maximise the voter turnout on 414 polling stations which registered less than 60 per cent voting in the previous Lok Sabha polls. The SVEEP teams are organising voter awareness activities in these villages to improve voter turnout in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

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