Campaigning for the Panchayat polls has picked up some pace in the border area of Joshimath where polling is slated to be held on June 24. Candidates in this region are facing some inconvenience in the campaigning as they have not yet been allocated their election symbols. However, the biggest hindrance being faced by the candidates during their campaigning at present is the fact that most residents of the villages in the border areas are camping in the high altitude areas where they are involved in collecting the costly Yarsagumba herb. The candidates fear that the polling percentage might be affected by the absence of villagers who are out collecting herbs in the high altitude areas.
With the notification for the Panchayat polls being issued in Uttarakhand, polling in these elections is slated to take place in three phases. Polling in the border area of Joshimath development block will be held in the last phase on June 24 before which the candidates will receive their symbols on June 17. It is expected that allocation of the symbols will result in the campaign being intensified by the candidates. However, the polling is slated to be held at a time when many villages in this development block are almost empty of the residents who are camping in high altitude regions. It is pertinent to mention here that villagers in the mountainous regions annually camp in high altitude regions during the summer season for collecting the costly Yarsagumba herb which fetches hefty price in the market.
With the young and able villagers out in the high altitude areas, most villages in this area are left with children and old residents as the other members of the families are away collecting the herb. Due to this the candidates are wondering whether the villagers will return home in time for the voting in Panchayat polls. The polling percentage could remain low here if the villagers fail to return home by June 24.