Skin Disease Outbreak in Pokhari, Chamoli: 150 People in 8 Villages Affected, Human Rights Commission Seeks Report from Director General of Health
Dehradun, November 13, 2025: A widespread skin disease outbreak has been spreading in eight villages in the Pokhari area of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, for the past month and a half. Based on a complaint from social, RTI, and human rights activist (correspondent) Bhupinder Kumar Laxmi, the Uttarakhand State Human Rights Commission took the matter seriously and issued an order on November 10, 2025.
The complaint states that the total population of these villages is approximately 1,600, of which approximately 150 people—from children to the elderly—have been affected by this disease. Patients are experiencing blisters, severe itching, and black spots when they burst. The biggest problem is that due to the absence of dermatologists in government hospitals, people are unable to receive proper treatment.
The bench headed by Commission member Girdhar Singh Dharmshaktu, describing the case as “serious in nature,” forwarded a copy of the complaint petition to the Director General of Medical Health and Family Welfare, Uttarakhand. The Director General has been directed to submit his report to the Commission by the due date. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for January 19, 2026.
The Commission, considering it a matter of public interest and justice, has insisted on immediate action. Local residents say that if medical care is not provided soon, the situation could become even more dire.
