Army airlifts poll materials to remote Karnali districts

BY LALIT BASEL,Surkhet, Mar. 4: Election materials for the 24 polling stations in the mountainous districts of Humla and Dolpa in Karnali Province have been transported by Nepali Army helicopters. Over the course of three days, helicopters delivered election materials to 20 polling stations in Dolpa and four in Humla.

Along with the materials, election officials and security personnel assigned to these stations were also airlifted. These locations are situated far from the respective district headquarters. 

According to the Nepal Army’s North-Western Division, the materials were flown from Saturday to Tuesday to 20 polling stations in Dolpa, including six in Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality, eight in Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, and six in Chharka Tangsong Rural Municipality.

Similarly, election materials were airlifted on Monday to four polling centres in Limi, located in the trans-Himalayan region of Humla. The Army stated that helicopters were used due to the remoteness of the areas, snowfall, and security sensitivities. After the completion of voting, ballot boxes and deployed personnel will also be flown back by helicopter. It has further been reported that ballot boxes from some polling centres in Mugu will likewise be returned by Army helicopters.

Twelve-hour trek to reach polling station

In Mugu district, election officials walked for 12 hours to reach the Janajagriti polling centre in Mugu village of Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality, located in the northern Himalayan region. The polling station, situated in Ward No. 2 of Upper Mugu, is not connected to the road network. As a result, officials had to carry ballot papers and other election materials on foot, taking 12 hours to reach the site.

Hom Raj Gurung, polling officer, said that polling staff and security personnel had to carry ballot papers and other materials themselves to the remote centre. He added that internet services were not functioning at the polling station due to the lack of electricity supply from the locally generated power system in Mugu village. He suggested that it would have been easier to transport election materials if the Election Commission had arranged helicopter services for such remote polling centres in Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality. There are 699 registered voters at the centre. 

Meanwhile, Chief District Officer of Mugu, Khadananda Khatri, stated that helicopter services had been arranged for four polling areas in Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality. However, he said the central authorities prioritised Humla and Dolpa, and helicopters were therefore not deployed to these polling stations.

In Humla, voters from Limi village in Ward No. 6 of Namkha Rural Municipality trekked across snow-covered Nyalu La pass to reach their polling station. To cast their votes, the voters travelled by vehicle from Simkot to Sa lli and then onward to Selibung before continuing on foot to Limi.

Kujok Lama, a local of Jang village in Limi, said he walked for nine hours to reach Jang village. The group had travelled by vehicle from Simkot on Monday and stayed overnight at Salli in Namkha Rural Municipality. At 4 am on Tuesday, they resumed their journey by vehicle to Selibung, which took three hours. From there, they trekked on foot, crossing the snow accumulated at Nyalu La pass, to reach Limi.

According to Lama, they set off from Selibung at 8 am and arrived at Tumling in Limi at 5 pm. 

Most of the group consisted of voters from Jang village. They walked through nearly two feet of snow, and horses were brought up to Nyalu La pass for some elderly voters, while younger members of the group travelled entirely on foot. The group included 40 voters from Jang village.

Ward Chair of Limi, Paljor Tamang, said voters endured significant hardship to return to Limi to cast their ballots. He too travelled on foot from Simkot to Limi via Nara La pass. He stated that they had come to Limi despite the difficult conditions solely to participate in the election.