Couple ‘ostracised’ for drawing water, DC orders probe

COMPLAINANT BIMLA DEVI OF BARGUL VILLAGE SAID THE PANCHAYAT PRADHAN ALSO ORDERED A FINE OF ₹2,000 EACH ON VILLAGERS WHO INTERACT WITH THEM

SHIMLA: A couple in the tribal Bargul village in tribal Lahaul Spiti district has been ostracised for drawing water for irrigating their fields from a channel connecting the village.

Bimla Devi registered a complaint with the police and civil authorities that the panchayat during a meeting passed the order to ostracise her family.

In her complaint, Devi alleged that the panchayat pradhan had ordered a fine of ₹2,000 each on villagers who interact with her family.

After receiving the complaint, the district administration in Lahual-Spiti ordered an inquiry into the compliant.

“There was a compliant of villagers socially boycotting a family in Bargul village. I have asked the police to look into the matter,” said deputy commissioner of Lahaul-Spiti Dewa Singh Negi.

Bargul is small village in Mooling panchayat, inhabitated by 15 families comprising 54 males and 46 females.

Panchayat pradhan Tenzin Dolma, however, denied any such incident. “All allegations made by the family are false and baseless,” she said.

She added, “Actually, there is a discord over construction of new panchayat bhawan. The present one, which is in a dilapidated condition, is in front of my house. Bimla and her family are insisting to construct a building on the land close to their house which is a bit far from the village. The villagers met recently to settle this issue.”

“I have not ordered any claims made by Devi,” she further said. The village is situated 14 kilometers from district headquarter Keylong.

Meanwhile, local Congress legislator Ravi Thakur denied having any information about it. “I am not aware of the issue. The executive engineer would be the right person to comment on the water dispute,” he said.