Election duty worker dead while going to high altitude polling booth

Election duty worker dead while going to high altitude polling booth

B.D.Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, July 23

The death of an Panchayat election official at the height of 6100 feet high altitude of Munsiyari region has raised questions about the medical fitness of members of election parties going to high altitude. The Panchayat elections are scheduled to be held in Uttarakhand on July 24,2025.

“Manish Pant (44), a member of panchayat election party going to 6100 feet high Golpha booth died due to cardiac arrest while on way to 2 km steep track to the polling booth. “Manish, an assistant in the office of Chief Medical Officer [CMO]  was declared dead on reaching Munsiyari hospital, some 56 km from the booth,” said an official of district election office,here.

Asked if the election parties, being sent to high altitude region of Johar, Darma and Vyans valleys are being medically examined, Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vinod Goswami who is also District Election Officer,  said that when the election parties are despatched, they install medical booths for election parties to check any medical problem and send medical kits with each party essentially.”But there is no system of essential medical check up of members of the parties keeping in mind their high altitude travel,” he said.

Pithoragarh Chief Medical Officer {CMO], SS Nabiyal has said that when the election parties are sent all members are asked on their medical problems and given medical aids to them but no medical is done keeping the high altitude visit of election parties.” Moreover the medical problems like heart attack and high altitude sickness occured suddenly, “said the CMO.

According to CMO, the deceased employee,Manish Pant, who was his office colleague had never complained of any heart problems in the past.

According to organisers of high altitude treks to Munsiyari and other part of high Himalayan region, they take essential medical check up of parties who want to trek more than 6000 feet high Himalayan region.” If we find the trekker suffering from Asthma, cholestrol and high blood pressure, we do not allow them to trek,” said Puran Pandey, a travel business owner in Munsiyari.

According to Pandey, due to comparative cold weather in high altitude region, the visitors, some times take wine and meat to beat the cold but fall ill as their bodies does not bear sudden weather change.”We have also received some instances during current election when some election party workers were hospitalized due to been properly acclimatised,” said Pandey.

After death of election party worker in Golpha village, some persons have suggested that mandatory medical check up should be done on members of election parties going to high Himalayan region, like ITBP does on Kailash Mansarowar pilgrims.

Surendra Panwar, an adventure tour manager to high Himalayan region has said that acclimatisation is essential for any one wants to going to high Himalayan region. Even the persons born and residing in lower elevation of hilly region need acclimatisation. We have lost two trekkers three years ago due to high altitude sickness as they were not acclimatised before taking to trek,” said Panwar.