The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will have to realign the Pathankot-Mandi four-lane road due to the Gaggal airport expansion project.

The possibility of the realignment of the road is giving sleepless nights to many villagers living around Gaggal. They fear that the new aligned road may pass through their area. As a result, they may lose their houses, shops or business establishments.

Sanjay Chaudhary, a resident of Bagli near Gaggal, says, “His shop is located on the Bagli-Dharamsala road. My family is living in tension since we came to know that the alignment of the Pathankot-Mandi four-lane road will be changed due to the Gaggal airport expansion project.

We fear that if the new aligned road passes through our village, I might lose my shop, which is the only source of livelihood for my family. We request the government to decide on the road realignment at the earliest so that people can plan accordingly.”

Deepak, another resident of the area, says, “Earlier, our village was not covered under the Pathankot-Mandi four-lane road project.

However, since a new alignment of the road is being proposed due to the Gaggal airport expansion project, we do not know what will happen in future. The government should take a decision on the road alignment at the earliest so that people can make resettlement plans.”

The sources say that due to the Gaggal airport expansion project, the present road passing through it may be closed for general traffic and it could become part of the airport. So, the government may have to plan alternative roads to connect the area.

Vikas Surjewala, Project Director of the NHAI for the Pathankot-Mandi road project, says that a consultant for the realignment of the Pathankot-Mandi four-lane road in Gaggal has been appointed.

He is likely to submit his report within next two months. The NHAI will decide on the realignment of the road in Gaggal on the basis of the consultant’s report, he adds.

The mushrooming of shops and business establishments along roads in Kangra district is creating problems for people during the execution of the road widening projects, as rules for construction are hardly followed.

As per the rules, no construction can take place within 25 feet of the edges of the state roads or national highways.

For NHAI roads, no construction is allowed within 100 feet from their edges. Interestingly, though the work for the widening of the Pathankot-Mandi highway is underway, people are raising new construction right on the edges of the roads in the Palampur-Baijnath section.

Business establishments are coming up right on the edges of the Dharamsala-Gaggal highway under the nose of the authorities concerned but no action is being taken.

The cash-strapped Himachal Government raised a loan of Rs 500 crore last week, exhausting its limit of Rs 6,200 crore loan for the current year.

Apart from exhausting the loan limit of Rs 6,200 crore for the current year (April 1 to December 31, 2024), the state government has also applied for a loan for the last quarter of the financial year 2024-25. In the financial year 2023-24, the loan raising limit for Himachal had been fixed at Rs 1,700 crore for the last quarter.

The state government could use this last instalment of Rs 500 crore loan for footing the pensions of the retired government employees. The over 2.25 lakh government employees have received their salaries but the retired employees are yet to receive their pension.

Faced with a grave financial crisis, Himachal requires Rs 2,000 crore per month to foot its committed expenditure on salary and pension.

With hardly any revenue-generating sectors, the state government is heavily dependent on the Centre for allocations under various heads. In fact, the state made national headlines two months ago when its employees and pensioners received delayed salaries and pensions. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu claimed that this had been done merely to save the extra money that had to be paid on raising loans for giving salaries on the first of month.

On an average, Himachal has a loan limit of about Rs 8,000 crore in a financial year but the state is barely able to meet its committed liabilities with this amount. “Earlier, we could raise an additional loan of Rs 1,500 crore in lieu of the New Pension Scheme (NPS) contribution, which is now not possible after restoration of the old pension scheme,” an official said.

As part of the fulfilment of the 10 guarantees made by the ruling Congress in the run-up to the 2022 Vidhan Sabha poll, the state government restored the old pension scheme for over 1.35 lakh employees, putting an additional burden on the exchequer.

Road ahead may be tougher

Himachal needs Rs 2,000 crore per month to foot expenditure on salary and pension
State restored old pension scheme for 1.35 lakh employees, putting an additional burden on exchequer
Next financial year 2025-26 can be tougher as the revenue deficit grant of Rs 6,258 crore, received from the Centre this year, will be reduced to almost half

The Sach Pass, recently renamed as Sache Jot, a vital lifeline connecting the tribal Pangi Valley to Chamba district headquarters, has been closed for vehicular movement until further notice, marking the beginning of its annual winter closure.

Chamba Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repswal issued the order under Section 115 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, prioritising public safety and the prevention of untoward incidents.

The closure comes as temperatures at the 4,414-metre-high mountain pass have started to dip below freezing point.

In the order, Repaswal states that the SDM of Pangi (Killar) reported that the road surface is becoming increasingly icy, especially during the early morning and late evening hours.

Sudden snowfall in the region further raises the risk of travellers getting stranded. Acting on this advisory, district authorities decided to shut the route to ensure the safety of residents and travellers.

Given the challenging road conditions, the SDM had requested the district administration to issue a public advisory, warning residents and visitors about the hazards of travelling through Sach Pass.

While the closure of Sach Pass is an annual phenomenon, it significantly impacts the residents of Pangi Valley.

For months, they will now have to rely on alternative routes through Manali or Jammu and Kashmir, which stretch the travel distance to Chamba from 172 km to over 650 km. This detour, though necessary, increases the cost and time for accessing essential services or visiting family members in other parts of the district.

Sach Pass, known for its breathtaking vistas and challenging terrain, remains a symbol of resilience and connectivity for the people of Pangi Valley.

Characterised by harsh terrain and severe climatic conditions, Pangi remains one of the most backward regions in Himachal Pradesh.

Separated from the rest of the state by the Pir Panjal mountain range, the region has limited connectivity, particularly during the winter, when the alternative routes to get closed when it snows heavily.

The Shimla district administration has enforced a two-month ban on public meetings, processions, rallies, protests, and similar activities in 10 key areas of the state capital.

The restrictions, issued under Section 6 of the Punjab State Security Act, 1953, aim to maintain public order and include areas such as Chotta Shimla to Ridge and Kennedy House, Scandal Point to Kali Bari Temple, and Chotta Shimla Chowk to Raj Bhawan, among others.

The order, issued by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anupam Kashyap, also prohibits carrying objects that could be used as weapons in these areas.

The ban applies immediately but excludes police, paramilitary or military personnel on duty. Events in these restricted areas require prior permission from competent authorities. Violators will face legal action.

Additionally, the DC has mandated that employers, contractors and businesspersons in Shimla district cannot hire migrant workers for informal jobs without registering their details, including a passport-sized photograph, with the respective Station House Officer (SHO).

Individuals intending to engage in self-employment or informal work in Shimla must inform the local police station in advance.

Failure to comply will lead to punitive action under Section 223 of the Indian Citizen Security Code, 2023. These measures, effective immediately, are part of broader efforts to ensure security and maintain order in the district.

Three youths kidnapped a youth by dragging him into an SUV near Vardhman Textiles at Baddi in this district on Saturday evening. A video of the incident has gone viral.

Motorists were seen driving on the road as usual with none bothering to intercept as the miscreants managed to kidnap the youth.

The trio got down from the SUV and after crossing the road dragged the youth standing on the other side of the road and bundled him into the car even as the victim resisted the attempt. He was beaten up as he tried to free himself from their clutches.

The police have registered a case after the video went viral, said Additional SP Baddi Ashok Verma.

Former Deputy Mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation, Tikender Singh Panwar, has filed an FIR against various officials of Home Department, police officials and the owners of two trucks and a large crane for plying on The Ridge, a vehicle prohibited zone which is “sinking”.

The Ridge has a 100-year-old water tank beneath and the foundation area towards Rivoli Theatre and Ice Skating Rink has been sinking. Vehicles are banned on The Ridge and only ambulances are allowed.

Sharing links of two videos, Tikender said they were sufficient to prove the threat that was posed to the lives of Shimla residents.

“The first one is a link of two truck plying on the Ridge Tank at Shimla. This tank is in the vulnerable zone and no vehicular movement is allowed on it. The second link of a large crane parked at the Ridge which further increases the vulnerability of the aforesaid tank,” he said.

Prompting the police to take action, Panwar said, “I request you to take it urgently, failing which, I will be forced to knock the doors of Himachal Pradesh High Court that has already decided to not to allow such functions at the Ridge. Still holding these functions invite contempt of their orders.”

The Himachal Pradesh government’s tryst with controversies does not seem to end.

The residents of the hill state were yet to digest the “samosas and cake” controversy, now it is reeling under the heavy weight of trucks seen plying on The Ridge in Shimla, a vehicle prohibited zone which is “sinking”.

A video of two trucks, parked right next to the historic church in Shimla, has gone viral on social media. It has left the locals fuming.

The Ridge has a 100-year-old water tank beneath and the foundation area towards Rivoli Theatre and Ice Skating Rink has been sinking. Vehicles are banned on The Ridge and only ambulances are allowed.

The driving of heavy trucks on to The Ridge has been criticised alike by the opposition and the locals.

Tikender Singh Panwar, Shimla’s former deputy mayor and CPI(M) leader, has filed an FIR against various officials of the Home Department, police officials and owners of the two trucks and the large crane for posing threat to the historic Ridge.

Panwar pointed out that despite a strict order from the Himachal Pradesh High Court prohibiting any activity at the Ridge, government agencies continued to flout the directive. He condemned the violation of the high court order, claiming that The Ridge was being turned into a commercial space akin to “Delhi Haat” in the national capital. He also appealed to the people of Shimla to raise their voices against such practices.

On Friday, several illegal stalls at the Ridge area here were removed following a visit by the city’s Mayor Surender Chauhan, who emphasised that such structures could not be put up in the area that sits on top of a large water tank.

Chauhan said: “There is a huge water tank under The Ridge and such a huge structure cannot be built here as it could put pressure on the area.”

“But who allowed the structures to come up there, without anyone’s permission is a big question,” commented one user on the viral video, another said: “Trucks on The Ridge? This is absolutely ridiculous!”.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met with Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in New Delhi, seeking a special industrial package for the state. Sukhu emphasised the need for balanced regional development, citing the state’s unique challenges due to its hilly terrain.

The CM requested a special industrial package similar to those granted to Jammu and Kashmir and the north-eastern states. He also urged the resumption of the transport subsidy scheme for hilly areas, which would help promote industrial production and boost exports.

Additionally, Sukhu requested funds for industrial infrastructure development projects, quality testing labs, and certification labs for export promotion. He also sought the release of pending capital subsidies under the Industrial Development Scheme and the sanction of pending cases.

Union Minister Goyal assured Sukhu that the issues raised would be examined, and all possible support would be extended to the state.

Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani and other senior officers of the state also attended the meeting

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met with Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in New Delhi, seeking a special industrial package for the state. Sukhu emphasised the need for balanced regional development, citing the state’s unique challenges due to its hilly terrain.

The CM requested a special industrial package similar to those granted to Jammu and Kashmir and the north-eastern states. He also urged the resumption of the transport subsidy scheme for hilly areas, which would help promote industrial production and boost exports.

Additionally, Sukhu requested funds for industrial infrastructure development projects, quality testing labs, and certification labs for export promotion. He also sought the release of pending capital subsidies under the Industrial Development Scheme and the sanction of pending cases.

Union Minister Goyal assured Sukhu that the issues raised would be examined, and all possible support would be extended to the state.

Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani and other senior officers of the state also attended the meeting.

State Congress president Pratibha Singh left for New Delhi on Thursday to participate in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Friday.

Apart from attending the CWC meeting, she will meet the party’s top brass and is likely to discuss the reconstitution of the dissolved Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is already in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, the 16 Central observers, appointed by the All India Congress Committee to facilitate the reconstitution of the HPCC, headed to the districts assigned to them to gather feedback from the common people, grassroots party workers and local leaders.

In this connection, Rajiv Verma, the observer appointed by the AICC for district Shimla, today interacted with the leaders belonging to Shimla district at the state Congress headquarters and sought their opinion regarding the formation of District Congress and Block Congress Committees.

Shimla Municipal Corporation Mayor Surender Chauhan, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal, all councilors of the party, and district Congress leaders shared their views with the observer. Besides, former MLAs Sohan Lal and Chiranji Lal Kashyap also met him.

This is how you encourage sports persons? the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Himachal Pradesh government for reportedly denying employment to an Asian Games gold medallist under the sports quota.

A Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih took exception of the fact that Pooja Thakur, a gold medallist in the 2014 Asian Games, was made to run from pillar to post for years for her employment.

“This is how you encourage sports persons? Somebody won a gold medal in the Asian games of 2014; your chief minister should have a pragmatic approach…This is the approach of the state while dealing with the sports persons,” the Bench remarked.

The top court, as a result, dismissed the appeal filed by the Himachal Pradesh government against her appointment to the post of excise and taxation officer effective the date of her application to the CM in July, 2015.

Thakur won the gold medal in kabaddi during the Asian Games held at Incheon, South Korea in 2014. She was also awarded a silver medal in the 2015 National Games.

The state government in its appeal challenged a 2023 high court division bench order, which upheld a single judge’s order directing Thakur’s appointment to the post.

The division bench had refused to interfere with order of the single judge who directed the authorities to offer her appointment to the post in the Department of Excise and Taxation, Government of Himachal Pradesh, from the date of her application to the then Chief Minister. The high court held she was entitled to all the consequential benefits from such dates including seniority.

The high court noted the state authorities were not happy over Thakur reportedly approaching them for appointment to a class-I post by filing two original applications and they were annoyed by it.

“It is highly unreasonable on the part of the appellants to seek to deny the benefit granted by the learned single judge to the 1st respondent of being appointed against the post of excise and taxation officer in the Department of Excise and Taxation from the date she submitted application to the then chief minister in July, 2015,” it said.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu yesterday said that drone technology could play an important role in construction, agriculture and delivery of small logistics like medicines and food. He presided over a meeting to discuss the role of National Resource Management and Agro-ecology on the motto of ‘Samridh Himachal-Green Himachal’ here.

He said that the government would support drone-based enterprises. Courses on drones would be started in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), he added.

Sukhu said that effective steps would be taken to make Himachal a self-reliant state by 2027 and the most prosperous one by 2032. He added that medium and small scale industries played a pivotal role in creating self-employment opportunities for the youth and the government was serious about setting up such units.

He said that tapping renewal solar energy would open doors of self employment. “The ball has been set rolling to bring 16 lakh sloping roof households and buildings under the Solar Rooftop Subsidy Scheme on the mission mode. The youth can earn by selling excess electricity produced to the government. The government is planning to raise the price of electricity purchase and facilitate bank loans in near future,” he added.

Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, MLAs Sanjay Awasthi, Kewal Singh Pathania and Suresh Kumar attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that the Crack Academy had proposed a scholarship of Rs 34 crore to provide coaching to 6,800 students preparing for various competitive exams.

At a meeting with the representatives of the Crack Academy, he said, “The academy has proposed a Rs 34 crore scholarship to coach 6,800 students for various competitive exams,” according to an official press note.

Sukhu said that the government had taken several initiatives to offer world-class coaching to students. The Crack Academy aims to prepare 100 students each from Himachal Pradesh’s 68 Assembly constituencies for competitive examinations.

As part of the initiative, the academy would also provide students Class VI onwards with information on competitive exams and skill development, the release stated.

Climate change in the form of dry weather, lesser rainfall and high temperatures has posed challenges to tea farming in Kangra district.

According tea farmers of the region, over the past few years, tea farming in the Kangra valley has become unviable. The tea farmers are requesting the Himachal Government to allow them to grow alternative crops such as medical plants and fruits in tea gardens to maintain their viability.

KG Butial, a prominent tea farmer of Palampur, told The Tribune that there had been no rainfall in the region in October and November this year.

“I have made arrangements to irrigate my tea garden by sourcing water from natural rivulets flowing through the region. However, even these rivulets have dried up now,” he added.

Butail said that during the summer this year, the temperatures in the Palampur region had touched 40°C, scorching tea plantations in his garden. “Given the climate change, it seems that the Kangra region is now becoming unfit for tea farming.

The irony is that the state government has barred the tea farmers of the Kangra valley from growing any other crop in their classified tea gardens.

It is high time that the government allows the farmers of Kangra to grow alternative crops such as medicinal plants or fruits along with tea to maintain their sustainability. Otherwise, most tea farmers of the Kangra region may be forced to abandon their estates due to climate change,” he added.

Guddu Pathania, manager of the Dharamsala tea estate, said, “Small tea farmers are the hardest hit by climate change.

They are not in a position to arrange irrigation water for their small farms and the government does not allow them to do anything else on the land classified as tea gardens. Either the government should allow them to grow alternative crops in their orchards or tea gardens or it should compensate them for losses they are suffering due to climate change.”

The tea farmers of Kangra say that tea was introduced in the Kangra valley when the weather conditions for the crop were ideal. “The Kangra valley used to be the second wettest area of the country after Cherrapunji in Meghalaya.

The temperatures in the valley used to remain below 30°C even during the summer due to heavy rain and mist, which was ideal for tea plantations. However, due to climate change rain is becoming scarce in the valley and temperatures are soaring, making tea farming difficult,” he adds.

According to experts, the production of Kangra tea that has a unique Geographical Indicator (GI) has fallen to just 8 lakh kilogram per annum against 17 lakh kilogram per annum production recorded in 1998.

They say that the production in the Kangra valley is just 0.01 per cent of the total 90 million kilogram of tea production in the country. There is hardly any support from the government to the tea farmers of Kangra.

“Dehra will become one of the most developed Assembly constituencies of the state. To make it happen, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is personally monitoring developmental projects in the constituency and taking feedback from officials,” said MLA Kamlesh Thakur while interacting with local people in Bankhandi gram panchayat and Kallar in Dehra on Monday.

A confident looking Kamlesh said that during the Dehra Assembly byelections, the people of the area had reposed faith in the Sukhu government and elected her as MLA. “Development works worth Rs 300 crore are underway in Dehra. Important projects related to road, water, electricity, health, education and tourism development are under implementation in the constituency,” she added.

Kamlesh assured people of providing funds for a primary health centre (PHC) building at Bankhandi. She said that a 33 KV substation had been established at Haripur, to empower Bankhandi and put a permanent end to electricity-related complaints in the panchayat. She directed the Jal Shakti Department to provide a water connection for a crematorium at Mayol panchayat within two months. The MLA listened to public problems in Bankhandi and Kallar panchayats and resolved them on the spot.

Kamlesh along with Vijay Kumar, pradhan of Bankhandi gram panchayat, paid obeisance at Mata Baglamukhi temple. Haripur Tehsildar Suresh Kumar; DFO, Dehra, Sunny Verma; Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, Suresh Walia; Executive Engineer, Power Department, Anish Thakur; Kallar gram panchayat pradhan Surendra Parashar and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

There is a growing demand to elevate Tanda Medical College (TMC) to an institution equivalent in stature to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER).

The need seems to be urgent, while looking at the significant challenges faced by a large section of the population in Kangra and Chamba districts for availing good quality healthcare services.

People opine that for residents of the nearby areas in Dehra, Palampur, Kangra Nurpur and Chamba, the existing infrastructure at Tanda could be a crucial asset, if upgraded.

They feel that long travel time to other specialised centres, such as the IGMC, Shimla, and the PGI, Chandigarh, poses unnecessary burden on patients, particularly in case of emergencies.

Satish Sharma, a resident of Panchrukhi, recently met Kangra MP with a delegation requesting him for TMC’s upgradation to put an end to frequent referrals to Chandigarh and Shimla for medical treatment. They have series of tales wherein patients and their families had to undergo a lot of inconvenience for treatment.

There are many others, who consider it an important and sensitive issue, which is not only related to delivery of health services, but is also deeply connected to the lives of poor and middleclass people. As per them, private hospitals being expensive are out of bound for the poor.

Upgrading Tanda Medical College to the PGIMER level would not only ensure availability of advanced medical treatment for residents in the region, but also improve local expertise through postgraduate training, benefiting both healthcare professionals and patients alike. It could alleviate patients’ sufferings and ensure that they receive the specialised healthcare they deserve on the door step.

When asked for his comments on the possible upgradation of the Tanda Medical College, its Principal Dr Milap Sharma said their institution was gradually improving healthcare services.

He made a specific reference to successful renal surgery and advancement in Neuro Department at the college. He too seemed convinced that still a lot needs to be done for the medical college for upgrading it to a state of the art institution.

Caring two hoots for the resentment among the residents, Principal Secretary Urban Development Devesh Kumar upgraded the Baddi municipal council into a corporation and Kunihar panchayat into a nagar panchayat (NP) in a notification issued last evening.

Objections have been invited by the state government from the inhabitants of the notified areas in these civic bodies within two weeks. They can submit their objections to the Deputy Commissioner within the stipulated period with the government making it clear that no objection would be entertained later.

In Kunihar nagar panchayat areas lying in the precincts like Thawna, Hatkot, Kothi-First, Up Mahal Kothi-Second, Unchagaon and up-mahal Pulhara have been merged to constitute the nagar panchayat. While Thawna, Hatkot, Kothi-First and Up Mahal Kothi Second would be fully included in the new civic body, Unchagaon and Up Mahal Pulhara would be partially incorporated into the nagar panchayat. Its khasra numbers have been notified to inform the general public so that they can put forth their objections.

Similarly, in Baddi municipal corporation 18 pancahayts are Sandholi, Haripur Sandholi, Malpur, Bhatoli Kalan, Katha, Bated, Tipra, Barotiwala, Dharampur, Kunjhal, Jharmajri, Balyana, Burranwala, Kotla, Kalyanpur, Surajmajra Gajjran, Judi Khurd and Judi Kalan. As many as 19 revenue areas from these gram panchayats have been included either fully or partially in the notification.

While residents of both Baddi and Kunihar have resented the move, it remains to be seen if their objections would be addressed or they would have to bow before the state government’s directive.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Solan Ajay Yadav confirmed that the state government has notified Baddi as a municipal corporation and Kunihar as a nagar panchayat by including nearby rural areas into its purview.

The move has been taken to enhance and improve development activities in the two civic bodies according to the notification. It remains to be seen whether adequate funds would be granted to spruce up developmental works as the existing civic bodies are already facing cash crunch.

Both assembly segments of Doon and Arki are represented by the Congress MLAs. With this notification, the number of municipal corporations (MCs) in Solan district has gone up to two with Solan being the other MC. The number of nagar panchayats in Solan has risen to three with Arki and Kandaghat being the other two.

The people have taught a befitting lesson to those talking about breaking the country, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut said on Sunday, referring to the Maharashtra Assembly polls where her party-led Mahayuti alliance trounced the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the actor-politician said she believed that he was born for the “salvation of the country and is invincible”.

Ranaut and then-Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s MVA government had a bitter run-in in 2020 with the then-undivided Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation demolished alleged illegal alterations at her Bandra bungalow.

The BJP-led Mahayuti on Saturday retained power in Maharashtra, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 Assembly seats, as the Congress-led MVA’s dream of wresting power fizzled, with the opposition combine managing to garner just 46 seats.

Talking to reporters at Bhuntar airport in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district before leaving for New Delhi, Ranaut said the people of Maharashtra voted for development and a stable government.

She also congratulated PM Modi for the Mahayuti’s electoral success and said the BJP high command would decide Maharashtra’s next chief minister.

“During campaigning, I saw every child chanting ‘Modi-Modi’. Prime Minister Modi is the tallest leader in the world. The BJP is a brand and, today, the people of India believe in the brand,” the Mandi MP said.

“I believe the prime minister was born for the salvation of the country and he is invincible,” she added.