Constituency: Chushul

Councillor: Konchok Stanzin 

Term: First

Votes Secured: 670/1301(51.49%)

Vote Cast: 1301 Total Voters: 1850

 

By Stanzin Dasal & Kunzang Chorol 

 

Area Problems

Phobrang • Tourist permit

• Mobile tower

• Drinking water problem in Yourgo

Lukung • Building for Medical sub centre

Maan • Road connectivity

• Mobile tower

Merak, Khakted • Road connectivity

• Mobile tower

Spangmik • Spring water deterioration

• Increasing commercialization leading to environment degradation

• Lack of waste management

Chushul • Residential hostel for students

• Need of Bank

• Water needed to be tested. 

• Proper use of BADP fund

• Revival of SRTC transportation

Kargyam • Mobile tower

• Tourist permit 

• Lack of drinking water

• Problem for lowering the rate of Pashmina

• Lack of medical staff

 

 

Chushul Constituency covers Phobrang, Lukung, Maan, Merak, Spangmik, Khakted, Chushul and Kargyam.

Because of the world famous Pangong Lake, there is a high influx of tourism which has given a source of income for the people who have merely depended on agriculture and mainly on livestock. However, increased commercial activities and lack of waste management mechanisms around Pangong Lake area, have equally contributed towards the risk of fragile ecosystem imbalances. Besides harmful ramifications of environmental pressure such as water scarcity, lack of mobile network connectivity has added additional fuel to the fire to the villagers.

 

Martsemik La, until recently, offers a thrilling attraction for tourist which brings an economic opportunity to the people of Phobrang village. For security reason, ITBP has started rebuffing permit for tourists to visit this destination eventually constrains the locals to generate an important source of income. 

 

Mobile network connectivity and the shortage of drinking water especially during winters are among the highlighted demands of the people.

 

The only demand of a Lukung village is a Medical sub-centre.

 

For Spangmik, spring water is the only source of drinking as well as for irrigation but, due to the excessive installation of camps for tourist, water availability for irrigation  has become a  huge problem to farmers in the farming months.  Excessive camping more than the capacity leads to some heated arguments among the villagers and the outsiders. 

 

A proper medical sub-centre need to be established because the village has no building to deliver health services to the patients. Presently all the medications etc are done in a hall which is built for the community ritual purposes. 

 

The road connectivity of Maan, Merak and Khakted villages has been neglected for the last 30 years.  Construction of the road has been always used as an election tool to grab votes. People complain about the fake promises done by the leaders and decided to look for another alternative to building the road rather than getting depended on the leaders. 

 

Link road from Merzi to Shartobo mohalla is also a demand of the people. 

 

Mobile tower demand is in most of the villages of this constituency namely Phobrang, Maan, Merak, Khakted, Satoo, Parma, Kherapullu etc.

 

In Maan and Khakted village, there is a scarcity of water for drinking as well as for irrigation purposes. 

 

Chushul is at the border area and is being deprived and neglected from many perspectives.  People complain about the misuse of the Border Area Development Program fund. Banking services is one the concern of the people as they have to travel all the way to Tangtse for the transaction.  The cost of the conveyance becomes costly for the villagers to get their work done. They also demanded the revival of SRTC bus services which will be benefited to the people of Kargyam, Satoo, Tangtse, Yerath and Chillam.

 

Above all the stated problems and demands, demand for the quality education is of prime concern. They demand to start the residential hostel which is left incomplete. 

 

For drinking water they use hand pumps but some of them proves contaminated and even reported the death of a child. The water has been sent for test many times but no response or result came so far.

 

Kargyam includes four small villages, Parma, Kherapullu, Satoo, Chipra. The place is a habitat of wide varieties of wild animals and migratory birds. The place is attracted by the wildlife lovers at the most which helps in strengthening the economic status of the nomads residing in this place. The place is considered under the border area and the tourists were not given permit. But the biggest question is the village has been named out for the BADP fund since it does not come under the border area but the tourism is not being permitted stating it as a border area.

 

In Parma village, two Pharmacist and NRHM were taken back from medical sub-centre leaving only two staffs, whereas, in every other sub-center there are 4 staffs. 

 

People are largely depending on livestock and are the growers of Pashmina the falling down of the Pashmina rate this year made the herders suffer. 

 

Councilor Konchok Stanzin: The mobile phone connectivity issue has been already taken up at the State as well as at the Centre level.  The problem will be resolved after the sanction of the 28 mobile towers approved for the border areas by the Ministry of Home Affairs. A proposal has been also sent to the BSNL, but hopefully this telecom issue will be resolved under the USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund).  

 

According to the GREF, Martsemik La is considered as Highest Motorable road which needs to be authenticated. About the revival of inner-line permit, the issue has been taken up with the Chief Executive Councillor and also in the meeting of Border issues held in Delhi. 

For drinking water problems, a submersible or hand pumps will be installed in September or October. 

 

A medical sub-centre in Spangmik is sanctioned and the funds will be provided under NRHM but I have made a separate proposal for this under BADP.  With the approval the medical sub-centre building will be completed.

 

The road to Maan, Merak is the oldest demand of people. The road has been not constructed because of man problems and issues. At first, the population criteria according to the census were fall short under PMGSY.  The another issue was that when the project was submitted the road was shown connected to Chushul.  Because of all this improper reports and misconception, the road remained incomplete and became the election biggest agenda.  I have gone through every loophole, cleared the misconception and submitted the fresh proposal at all levels hopefully this problem will be solved.

The link road from Merzi to Shartobo has been sanctioned and is in the tendering process.  The contractors are not ready to take the project because of the material problems.  

The residential school of Chushul is completed but is not functional because of the lack of funds. All effort is done to solve this issue and will come up with some solution soon.  

About the Banking facilities, the matter has been taken up with the MP and MOC and hopefully this will be solved in the coming days. 

For tourism promotion in Kargyam, I have taken up to the EC Tourism, MP, and CEC.

 

Talking about the BADP fund I made sure to allocate the fund wherever it is needed and deserves. 

 

Conclusion

 

The constituency Chushul of a Changthang region shares a border with China. The villages being far away from the Leh town faces a problem of connectivity and communication. Water scarcity is also an issue like the rest of the constituencies.

 

Tourism influx is very high in the peak season because of the famous Pangong Lake which is an economic boon but the irony part is that with the commercialization increases in a huge number leading to the disturbance of the fragile eco system. Absence of proper waste management, increase of commercial set ups, limited resources and growing number of tourism needs to be taken up with high consideration.

 

The need of an hour is to think about a sustainable development. Planned and strict measures are needed to save the environment for a better tomorrow.