Himachal Pradesh elections: Poll panel deploys NDRF in tribal regions after fresh snowfall

Himachal chief electoral officer Manish Garg said the state disaster management authority was fully prepared for the Vidhan Sabha elections

In the wake of fresh snowfall ahead of the polling day in Himachal Pradesh, the election department has deployed teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) at two tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur along with parts of Chamba.

Fresh snowfall in Kaza, in Lahaul and Spiti, on Thursday morning. (HT Photo)

Chief electoral officer Manish Garg said the state disaster management authority was fully prepared for the Vidhan Sabha elections. “The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has deployed teams of NDRF and SDRF comprising of 50 personnel in tribal areas for quick response. Ten personnel each of NDRF and SDRF have been stationed at Chamba and Pangi, and as many at Kaza and Udaipur,” he added.

Total 748 personnel from 14th Battalion headquarters Jasoor (Nurpur) under Commandant Baljinder Singh (82849-07111), 93 from regional response centre (RRC) Nalagarh under Inspector Jagpal (99964-03242), 103 from RRC Mandi under Inspector Shekhar Chouhan (96507-37060), and 91 from RRC Rampur under Inspector Danny (99966-88934) have been kept on standby, he said.

Three personnel from SDRF from Shimla headquarters under SP Ilma Afroz (98160-14333), 31 from Junga under DSP Gulshan Negi (96502-69052), 57 from Pandoh under DSP Sunil Rana (86288-22642) and 70 from Sakoh (Kangra) under DSP Binny Minhas (78073-10020) are on reserve for deployment, Garg said.