THAPLIYALKHEDA/UTTARAKHAND: Voters of border areas from the districts of Pithoragarh, Udham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Uttarakashi and Chamoli in Uttarakhand want basic facilities. Roads, mobile-internet connectivity, electricity, water remain problems. Uttarakhand shares 350 km of border with China and 275 km with Nepal.
Thapliyalkheda village in Champawat on the India-Nepal border with 250 voters is still stuck in the previous century. Village head Mohan Singh said, “Successive governments have failed to do anything. We don’t have basic facilities and depend on Nepal to sell our farm produce.” Interestingly, residents of the village were granted voting rights only in 1998.
Locals say the border is highly porous. Only in 2001, when the SSB took charge, did the situation improve. Most of the amenities, including rechargeable solar lights are provided by SSB. Ironically, Tanakpur power plant is just 9 km from the village.
Women travel for hours to graze cattle, fetch water and collect wood and fodder. Most of the residents work as daily wagers on farm lands. Salt, which costs Rs 20 per kilo, has to be bought for Rs 100. Villagers are compelled to use Nepalese SIM cards due to poor network.
State government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal said, “Our government has done a lot of work to build infrastructure and provide mobile-internet connectivity.” Congress has promised health services and medicine delivery using drones. “We have done more for the people than BJP,” said former CM Harish Rawat.