After heavy snowfall in tribal Lahaul Spiti district, the Himachal Pradesh Government began the emergency Helicopter services on Friday as 56 people including eight patients were evacuated from the snow bound district. A district spokesman confirmed that number of people were waiting to start this service from the Lahaul valley which successfully ferried the 56 people who were stranding in the district as all territorial link roads to the district and Manali-Leh road become snowbound recently.
First sorty of chopper successfully evacuated the people at Bhuntar airport from Keylong yesterday. People in the district got relief as they saw the helicopter heading to valley as they are also demanding more sorties to other helipads in the district. The member of Schedule Tribal Advisory Council Mr. Kishan Chopra demanded that similar service should extend to snow bound Dharwas and Killard of Pangi valley in Chamba district. Mindhal Panchayat Samiti President Kamala Sharma also sought to start the emergency helicopter service to Sach helipad of Pangi as many patients were stranded their seeking the assistance from the local administration.
The Spokesman said that two more Helicopter sorties were to be conducted today but could not be operated due to bad weather as the two sorties scheduled to Bhuntar-Tandi-Diet-Bhuntar and Bhuntar -Satingri Bhuntar today stand cancel. Meanwhile 42 gram panchayats under Chopal assembly segments are in darkness without power and water. Local MLA Mr. Balbir Thakur said that the Administration had restored the power in most of areas and efforts are on war footing to resume it in left out places. He said that hundreds of trees uprooted on the power lines are being maintained.
