The authorities are making all necessary arrangements to ensure a free and systematically held Vidhan Sabha election 2017. However, among the factors that remain variable, the weather may have a problematic effect on the polling parties especially in areas which experience snowfall on or before the day of polling.
According to the official data for the past 10 years, there has been either rainfall or snowfall in areas of Tehri, Dhanaulti and Ghansali constituencies in the middle of February month.
Generally, rainfall and snowfall during this period also results in a drop in the mercury level as shown by official data. However, the authorities concerned State that complete arrangements have been made to tackle the weather-related problems in all the meteorologically vulnerable polling booths.
In the Tehri district, many villages situated in the Tehri, Dhanaulti and the Ghansali Vidhan Sabha constituency segments are prone to experience difficult conditions following snowfall.
In general, there remains the likelihood of fluctuations in the weather condition in these regions during the second week of February. In case of snowfall during this period, one also has to face severe difficulties in commuting from one place to another. Following snowfall, the disruption of traffic that is experienced on the Chamba-Mussoorie motor road can cause problem in the Dhanaulti Vidhan Sabha constituency.
In such a situation, in case of there being strong likelihood of snowfall, the election commission will send the personnel on polling duty from Dehradun to Suvakholi onward instead of Tehri. In this region, the Dhanaulti Vidhan Sabha constituency has the maximum number-24-of booths which are considered vulnerable following snowfall.
The number of such meteorologically vulnerable polling booths is six each in Tehri and Ghansali Vidhan Sabha constituencies. The Ranichauri campus weather department data reveal that during the past 10 years, there has been considerable weather fluctuation in this area around the time period when the polling is slated to be held for the Vidhan Sabha election in 2017.
According to data from the campus, during 2007, there was snowfall recorded on February 14 with minimum temperature being recorded at -0.6 degrees during the period. There was no snowfall recorded during the said period between February 12 and 18 in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016. On the other hand, during the same time period, snowfall was reported on February 12 in 2009, on February 17 in 2011, on February 17 in 2013 and on February 15 and 16 in 2014.
According to the Ranichauri campus weather department technical officer Prakash Negi, there have been several instances of snowfall and rain in the middle Himalayan region during the election time which even caused the temperature to dip below zero in the past. The Tehri additional district magistrate SK Banral said that information regarding the polling booths vulnerable to weather changes has been submitted to the election commission. All necessary arrangements have been made to deal with such situation in addition to which equipment and other items are being asked for in order to deal with the chill factor, he added.
