Mandi’s Sahan Village: No Road, No Water, No hope

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Mandi (Sahan) (Munish Sood)

Tucked away in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh’s Dharampur constituency, Sahan village stands as a grim reminder of development’s uneven reach.

For decades, this remote hamlet has struggled with a lack of basic amenities—no road, no water supply, and no relief from isolation.

Surrounded by towering hills on three sides and a stream on the fourth, Sahan is accessible only by foot.

A jeep road constructed in 2008 was washed away in the very first monsoon and has never been repaired. The lack of road connectivity forces villagers to carry patients, goods, and sometimes even the deceased across rugged terrain to reach the nearest motorable road.

Tragedies of Isolation

The harsh realities of life in Sahan recently claimed another victim. Last week, Jeet Singh Rana, a 65-year-old retired police officer and a native of the village, succumbed to the lack of infrastructure. After recovering from a severe illness in Chandigarh, Jeet Singh expressed his wish to return to his ancestral home. However, his family, fearing another medical emergency, was unable to bring him back due to the absence of a road. He passed away at his daughter’s home in Lambri, far from the village he loved.

“He wanted to spend his final days in Sahan, but we couldn’t risk his life due to the lack of road access,” his grieving daughter said.

This is not an isolated incident. Villagers recount over a dozen lives lost because timely medical help could not reach the village. Roshni Devi, a 92-year-old resident, said, “I was once carried on someone’s back to the hospital. Others haven’t been as lucky—they died on the way.”

Water Crisis Worsens the Struggle

The village’s water supply scheme was destroyed two years ago during heavy rains, and no efforts have been made to repair it. Residents now trek long distances to fetch water, a task that is physically exhausting and time-consuming. Many families, unable to cope with these conditions, have migrated, leaving behind empty homes.

“Those who leave rarely return, even for important events like weddings or funerals, because reaching the village is so difficult,” said Balbir Rana, a local resident.

Neglected by Leaders

Sahan’s plight is especially disheartening given its historical and political connections. It is the ancestral village of former Congress minister Natha Singh and falls under Dharampur, which was represented by BJP leader Mahendra Singh Thakur for 35 years. Even now, under Congress MLA Chander Shekhar, the village has seen no improvement.

Despite being part of the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency, represented by Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Sahan’s demands for basic amenities remain ignored.

MUNISH SOOD

MUNISH SOOD

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