Two Kinnaur villages to boycott polling
Shimla: Just hours before Himachal Pradesh witnesses polling for the prestigious Mandi Parliamentary constituency, a poll boycott call by 500-odd villagers at Jangi–a high altitude hamlet, has put the state government and election machinery in the spot.
Only four days back, another village panchayat Rarang with 1000-plus voters had also given the call for poll boycott at the behest of a local deity, opposed to the setting up of a mega hydel project in the vicinity of this tribal village.
Both the villages, besides at least two dozen others, are going to be directly affected by the upcoming 804 MW Jangi Thopan hydel project.
Roshan Lal Negi, a noted environmentalist and Buddhist researcher said, " Massive environmental destruction, loss of rare biodiversity, rich fauna and flora and series of disasters in Kinnaur have put a question mark on the future of this tribal district. The people are totally opposed to any new project. Nearly 15 small and big projects have already exploited the natural resources in the district."
Negi informed that a gram sabha held at Jangi has decided that no eligible voter will go to the polling booth on October 30 to cast his/her vote. We will not also fill up the papers for appointing any polling agent from the village. This stand is unanimous and firm.
More than 18 environmental groups, NGOs, social organisations, Mahila Mandals and Yuvak Mandals have already submitted a memorandum to the state government and Deputy Commissioner conveying their decision to oppose new projects.
"Half of Kinnaur has already been exploited –lands taken over or illegally grabbed by the companies, natural water sources have vanished, some of the rare stone fruit and forest tree varieties axed, rivers diverted through tunnels and dams led to destruction of fragile ecology," Negi alleged.
"No means, No" is a powerful slogan coined by the locals supported by some social and environmental groups to stop sanctioning of any new hydel projects, almost on the lines of Uttarakhand's famous "Chipko anadolan" –a mass movement to save the forests there.
