Census operations to begin in the high-altitude Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand; teams will visit every household across 131 villages.
Dehradun: A census drive is set to begin on Tuesday in the high-altitude Himalayan and snow-bound regions of Uttarakhand. The census work will be carried out in villages and civic body areas across the districts of Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, and Pithoragarh—areas characterized by challenging geographical terrain. The administration has completed all preparations for this exercise.
Census Director Eva Srivastava stated that a door-to-door enumeration of the population will be conducted across 131 villages and three civic body areas in these four districts. A total of 182 enumerators and supervisors have been deployed for this campaign. These personnel will visit the designated areas to gather information from the residents.
Campaign to run until September 30
According to officials, the census in these high-altitude Himalayan regions will continue until September 30. A special plan has been devised, keeping the difficult terrain in mind, to ensure that no family is left out of the enumeration process.
Staff members have received specific instructions regarding the challenges posed by weather conditions and the terrain in these snowy, mountainous areas. The administration stated that effective coordination has been established among all departments to ensure the census work is completed on schedule.
Special preparations for remote areas
There are many villages in Uttarakhand’s high-altitude Himalayan regions that are difficult to access. Road connectivity is limited in several areas, and weather conditions change rapidly. Consequently, special preparations have been made for the census teams.
Responsibilities have been assigned to enumerators and supervisors based on the geographical conditions of the respective areas. Officials stated that the teams have undergone necessary training and have been instructed to carry out their duties safely.
Door-to-door data collection
During the census, enumerators will visit every household to record the required information. The objective is to systematically gather data on the region’s population, social status, and other essential statistics.
Officials have appealed to the public to provide accurate information to the census teams and cooperate with the drive. They emphasized that the census is a crucial national process that aids in future planning.
No OTP or passwords will be requested
Census Director Eva Srivastava has also cautioned the public to remain vigilant against cyber fraud. They clarified that no one would be asked for an OTP, password, or any sensitive banking information during the census.
They urged the public not to share OTPs or financial details with any unknown individuals. If anyone requests such information in the name of the census, the matter should be reported immediately to the concerned authorities.
Security and Monitoring Arrangements
Monitoring arrangements have been put in place to ensure the census is conducted safely and smoothly in difficult terrains. The local administration and relevant departments have been instructed to assist the teams.
Officials stated that the activities of the census teams will be monitored, and local assistance will be provided whenever necessary.
A Crucial Campaign for the State
Conducting a census in a hilly state like Uttarakhand is considered more challenging than in plain regions. Reaching residents in high-altitude areas and gathering accurate data poses a significant responsibility for the administration.
This campaign will provide insights into the actual population and socio-economic status of the state’s border and remote areas. The data collected will play a vital role in future development planning, resource allocation, and the formulation of government policies.
The administration has made full preparations to ensure the success of the census campaign. The process, commencing on Tuesday, will continue until September 30 and will cover hundreds of remote villages and civic body areas across four districts.