Itanagar, Apr 19 (Representative) Traversing through tough and steep terrains of the Himalayan mountains, navigating dense jungles, crossing traditional hanging bridges, and setting up camps in tents – the Siang district election machinery has to move mountains to conduct polls at the remotest and inaccessible places of the district, ensuring ECI’s commitment that “no voter is left behind”. Gate and Gasseng villages falling under the Payum circle of Rumgong Assembly Constituency are two of the 25 polling stations of the district categorized as ‘shadow zones’ i.e. areas that have no mobile or internet or other public connectivity. The district has 17 such polling stations under Rumgong and eight under Pangin A/C. To overcome the predicament and establish direct communication with the district headquarters on poll day where bi-hourly voting data is to be relayed, the election machinery has taken up the initiative of establishing VHF/HF (Very High Frequency/High Frequency) stations, thereby ensuring communication coverage through wireless walkie-talkies. As a testament to human fortitude, two signal testing teams led by Siang Police accompanied by recruit constables (RCs) and porters trekked for three days straight to Gasseng and Gate villages. Situated 147 KM and 153 KM away from the district HQs respectively, the last vehicle point is at Molo village. From thereon, Gasseng and Gate is a treacherous foot trek of 45 km and 50 km respectively. This is the same foot trek that is being undertaken by the polling teams as well, officials said. Led by head constables Daniel Darang and Geny Bam, the teams started a foot march from Molo village on April 14 and after 12 hours, they reached Gasseng. The team then marched ahead to Gate on April 15 and their journey culminated back at Molo on April 16. The signal trial of the HF sets established at Gasseng and Gate polling stations has been successfully conducted.
This now enables direct communication between the polling stations and the District Control Room at Boleng, the district HQs. “Scaling high peaks and narrow footpaths for 3 days straight, the extremely difficult and dangerous route truly tested our physical and mental tenacity. However, I am glad that our endeavour will yield positive results for these two villages and the electoral process”, stated Darang. Commending the spirit of the team, Siang district DySP Sange Tenzin stated that “the electoral process has become increasingly technology-driven. The absence of mobile and internet connectivity renders communication nearly impossible. This is an initiative to bridge the communication gap.” Established in 1963, Payum is one of the oldest circles of the state but is yet to be connected by a motorable road. Efforts through the Central Road & Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) for constructing the road from Pagak village (in Kaying circle) to Bogu (in Payum circle) to link Bille, Payum, Mega, Gaming, Bogu, Gaseng and Gate villages and the proposed 72-km Bille-Migging road would also connect Payum circle with Migging circle of Upper Siang district. The polling teams of Gasseng and Gate polling stations have been dispatched with polling materials including Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs).