Mandi, September 12 (HS). 66-year-old Naveen Kaushal, who retired as Chief Engineer from the State Electricity Board, crossed Thamsar Jot, situated at an altitude of 18,500 feet above sea level, and reached the most inaccessible village of the state, Bada Bhangal, and came face to face with the lives of the people living there. Naveen Kaushal has been trekking continuously for the last ten years and this time he celebrated his 66th birthday in the midst of this difficult journey at the highest peak and pass, Thamsar.
Sharing his experiences after returning from the journey, he said that he was told that Bada Bhangal is the most inaccessible village of the state. Hence, he chose this journey to complete a decade of his travels. He left for this journey on 7 September. Despite adverse weather, he along with one of his companions climbed the difficult hill for three days, crossed Thamsar Jot and then reached Bada Bhangal.
Naveen Kaushal told that he has successfully climbed 20 peaks so far. Prominent among them are Dolma Pass at 18471 feet, Swarga Rohini in Tibb at 20511 feet, Uttarakhand Pitradhar, Bhrigu Lake, Chuhaddhar, Himani Chamunda and Hamta Pass. If you have courage, age is no barrier. According to him, he has been continuously travelling to hills and fields since 2014 and celebrates his birthday every year on 7 September during this period.
Kaushal told that on 4th September he started his journey from Kukkad Gundha beyond Willing and after walking 59 kms he reached Naya Gran of Chamba district after 6 days. About Bada Bhangal he told that people live here in very difficult conditions. There is no doctor in the dispensary, no pharmacist, there is neither electricity nor telephone in the village. People have to pay 35 rupees per kg for carrying even one kg of goods. All the goods reach the village from Beed Willing after a journey of many days on horses and mules. The produce of the village cannot go out due to lack of road. There is no such thing as administration there. People are dependent on satellite phone. When he reached there everyone praised his courage. They are innocent and clean people.
He also appealed to the government to include the people of Bada Bhangal in the mainstream of development and provide them all the basic facilities.