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Snow in higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti

Higher reaches of Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts in Himachal Pradesh received intermittent snowfall on Saturday, breaking eight weeks of dry spell and intensifying the cold wave conditions in the adjoining areas.

Snow in Solang, Mari, Gulaba and Rohtang in Kullu districts and Lahaul and Spiti’s Koksar and Sissu brought cheers to farmers, horticulturists and hoteliers as the dry spell had affected the winter crops and hit the tourism industry.

Sharing videos of fresh snowfall at Atal Tunnel and other areas, the Lahaul and Spiti police have advised the commuters to avoid unnecessary journeys and to stay cautious while driving in snow.

They have also advised commuters to stock their vehicles with necessary items like woolen clothes, food, water and first aid kits and keep emergency numbers with them.

After snow in higher hills, Manali recorded a maximum temperature at 13.4 degree Celsius, a drop of 2.5 degrees in the past 24 hours.

Tabo in tribal Lahaul and Spiti was coldest at night, recording a minimum temperature at minus 8.3 degree Celsius.

The post monsoon rain deficit from October 1 to November 23 stayed at 98 per cent as the region received 0.7 mm average rains compared to normal rainfall of 38.4 mm.

Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kullu, Sirmaur and Solan districts received 100 per cent deficit rains while the shortfall was 99 per cent in Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and Shimla districts and 96 and 90 percent in Kangra and Mandi districts.

The local MeT station has predicted dry weather in lower, mid and higher hills from November 24 to 29 and occurrence of thick fog in the reservoir area of Bhakra in Bilaspur and Balh valley in Mandi during morning hours on November 26 and 27. PTI

High Court allows tourism corp to run 9 hotels till March 31 next year

The HP High Court today reviewed its order in which it had ordered the closure of 18 hotels of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) due to a low occupancy rate.

The court reviewed its order and allowed the HPTDC to run nine of the 18 hotels, namely The Palace, Chail; The Chanderbhaga, Keylong; Hotel Devdar, Khajiar; Hotel Meghdoot, Kiarighat; Log Huts, Manali; Kunzum, Manali; The Bhagsu, McLeodganj; the Castle, Naggar; and Hotel Dhauladhar, Dharamsala, till March 31, 2025.

Justice Ajay Mohan Goel clarified that the continuation of the order qua the above said properties would be reviewed thereafter based on their performance. The court stated that, however, the order passed on November 19 would continue to remain in operation qua other nine properties/units of the HPTDC.

The court passed the order on an application filed by the HPTDC for the recall/modification of the order passed by the court on November 19 in terms whereof, the court had directed the Tourism Development Corporation to forthwith stop operation with regard to 18 properties, on the basis of the data placed before it by the HPTDC were having occupancy of less than 40 per cent per annum.

During the course of hearing, the senior counsel appearing for the HPTDC submitted that taking a cue from the court order, the corporation was taking serious steps to ensure that its properties were put to maximum use and they start making profits rather than remain just “white elephants”.

It was further contended in the court that some of the properties of the HPTDC, which had been ordered to be closed, had some forthcoming obligations in the mode of room bookings as well as event bookings. Advances had been received from the parties and under these circumstances, the modification of the order had been prayed for.

It was brought to the notice of the court that some of the 18 units, which besides offering hotel rooms were providing the facilities of restaurant and banquet halls, had started earning income. Besides, units like The Palace Hotel, Chail; and The Castle, Naggar; are also earning income from the gate entry ticket.

It HPTDC contended that as it indeed stood chastened by the court order and shall be making all-out efforts to pull itself out of the red. It would also ensure that the dues of its retired employees were paid in time and such a situation did not arise in future.

After hearing the matter for some time and taking on record the compilation that was handed over by the HPTDC counsel, Justice Goel observed that “this court is not modifying its order of November 19 in totality but is permitting the corporation to run nine of its properties till March 31, 2025, with a rider of their performance.

In its earlier order, the court had ordered the closure of 18 properties of the HPTDC — The Palace Hotel, Chail; Hotel Geetanjali, Dalhousie; Hotel Baghal, Darlaghat; Hotel Dhauladhar, Dharamsala; Hotel Kunal Dharamsala; Hotel Kashmir House, Dharamsala; Hotel Apple Blossom, Fagu; Hotel Chanderbhaga, Keylong; Hotel Devdar, Khajiar; Hotel Giriganga, Kharapatthar; Hotel Meghdoot, Kiarighat; Hotel Sarvari, Kullu; Hotel Log Huts, Manali; Hotel Hadimba Cottage, Manali; Hotel Kunzum, Manali; Hotel Bhagsu, McLeodganj; Hotel the Castle, Naggar; and Hotel Shivalik, Parwanoo.

SGPC Elections: Date for inclusion of names in voter rolls extended till December 15

Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal yesterday said the last date for the registration of names in voter lists for elections to the lone seat of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had been extended to December 15.

The only seat of the SGPC in Himachal Pradesh is in Una district. The elections for the seat are due.

In a communiqué issued here, Jatin Lal said rural voters could get registration forms from the office of respective patwaris, while urban voters could get the same from the office of the Executive Officer of their urban local body concerned.

Jatin Lal appealed to voters to get their names registered in voter lists. The SGPC elections are to be held after every five years. Earlier, Harjinder Singh Dhami was elected as the SGPC president for the fourth consecutive term. He defeated former president Bibi Jagir Kaur to retain the top post.

SC stays disqualification of 6 CPS in Himachal Pradesh

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the disqualification of six chief parliamentary secretaries of Himachal Pradesh appointed by the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led state government.

It stayed the direction of the Himachal Pradesh High Court declaring the power to appoint chief parliamentary secretaries and parliamentary secretaries in the state as unconstitutional.

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said there will be no further proceedings in pursuant to the Himachal Pradesh High Court order quashing the appointment of six MLAs as chief parliamentary secretaries.

It, however, made it clear that no more appointments will be made by the state government saying, it will be contrary to law.

The top court also issued notice to BJP leader Kalpana Devi, who has moved the high court against the appointment of chief parliamentary secretaries, and sought her response within two weeks and posted the matter after four weeks.
It tagged the matter with the pending petitions in the apex court on the issue.

Wildlife conservationist quits after 28 years of service

DS Dadwal, a distinguished Himachal Pradesh Forest Service officer, has resigned from his position, evoking strong reactions from environmental and wildlife activists.

Known for his unwavering dedication to wildlife conservation, Dadwal served in various capacities, including at the Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary, where his efforts significantly contributed to wildlife protection and documentation.

With a career spanning over 28 years, Dadwal was recently posted as Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in Pangi, a tribal region in Chamba district. Sources suggest his resignation stemmed from systemic challenges, including repeated denial of wildlife postings—a field he was deeply passionate about. Despite his expertise in wildlife management, Dadwal faced obstacles that left him disheartened and exhausted.

An anonymous forest official stated: “He was tired of fighting inequalities in the system. Despite his unparalleled skills and dedication, he was not given the opportunities he deserved.” Prabhat Bhatti, an environmentalist, expressed regret over Dadwal’s resignation, describing it as a major loss for the state’s forest and wildlife departments. “His hard-hitting approach against forest mafias and wildlife smugglers made him unpopular among some administrators and politicians. Yet, he was a trailblazer in wildlife management,” Bhatti remarked.

Dadwal’s work earned him recognition at national and international levels. He was a pioneer in vulture conservation and documented the bird diversity of Himachal Pradesh. His notable contributions include managing the Pong Dam Lake during its formative years, studying human-wildlife interactions, and educating local communities about biodiversity.

One of his celebrated achievements was empowering Pong Dam’s boatmen and Class IV employees with bird identification skills, elevating their expertise to match that of scientific communities. Dadwal authored significant works such as Birds of Himachal Pradesh, Volumes I and II, which delve into migratory bird patterns in Pong Dam Lake and other regions. He also penned several articles and delivered lectures on conservation at various platforms.

When contacted, he cited personal reasons for stepping down but refrained from elaborating. However, his decision has left a void in Himachal Pradesh’s wildlife conservation landscape.

Recognised as a field-oriented officer, Dadwal’s understanding of species-specific habitats and ecological nuances made him a sought-after expert. He collaborated with enforcement agencies, educational institutions, and research organisations to address wildlife management challenges.

Environmentalists believe that losing a figure as influential as Dadwal underscores the challenges faced by passionate individuals working within rigid systems. His departure is a somber reminder of the need to address systemic barriers and foster a culture that values expertise and commitment.

Slope protection work underway on 39-km Parwanoo-Solan stretch

Approval of one of eight NH, forest-clearance seven projects waiting

Motorists travelling on the four-laned Parwanoo-Solan section of National Highway-5 can expect a safer ride as slope protection work is underway at various vulnerable sites, which had been eroding every monsoon.

These excavated slopes had been threatening the motorists as huge chunks of debris and boulders flowed down on the highway, leading to fatal injuries and damaged vehicles. The situation had rendered the highway risky for travelling during the monsoon.

As many as 28 critical locations, including Chakki Mor, Datiyar, tunnel near the Barog bypass and Sanawara, have been identified for slope protection by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Jammu-based SRM Contractors Limited has been executing the work awarded for Rs 1.45 crore earlier this year. The company has been given the liberty to undertake need-based technical interventions to ensure stability of the slope.

Shimla NHAI Project Director Anand Dahiya said 18-month period has been granted for slope rectification work on the Parwanoo-Solan section to the SRM Contractors Limited, with an additional 10-year period for handling defect liability.

He added that for the Solan-Kaithlighat stretch, a Dehradun-based Bharat Construction, has been assigned the task to carry out the slope protection work on 42 identified locations, with the work beginning in December.

The NHAI had conducted slew of studies to examine the vulnerable slopes and suggest a lasting solution. Apart from roping in slope stabilisation experts, engineers from IITs and Border Roads Organisation were asked to examine the vulnerable sites in September and October last year.

Slew of factors like hydrological data to know the quantum of rain, cloudburst cases, soil strata etc were taken into account to arrive at final observations. Later, a detailed project report was formulated.

Various engineering technologies like shotcrete and netting are being used to protect the hilly slopes. The work, which began on September 15, has gathered pace as several vulnerable sites at Saproon and tunnel near the Barog bypass were being repaired.

Maximum damage had been caused on the 39-km stretch from Parwanoo to Solan during last year’s monsoon. “The damage was substantially less this monsoon as an excavated hilly slope gradually attains its usual angle after a few monsoons and settles down,” explained a civil engineer.

Women employees of Himachal Pradesh govt to get child care leave

Women employees of Himachal Pradesh Government can now avail child care leave as the state government on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it has notified the Central Civil Services (Leave) Himachal Pradesh Amendment Rules, 2024 to enable them avail of this facility.

On behalf of the Himachal Pradesh Government, advocate DK Thakur told a Bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice NK Singh that Rule 43C on child care leave was notified on July 31.

“Subject to the provisions of this rule, a female Government servant may be granted child care leave by an authority competent to grant leave for a maximum period of seven hundred and thirty days during her entire service for taking care of her child with a minimum disability of forty per cent as specified in the Government of India Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s Notification No.16-18/96-N 1.1, stated the 1st June, 2001 up to two surviving children,” Clause 1 of Rule 43C of the Central Civil Services (Leave) Himachal Pradesh Amendment Rules, 2024 read.

Following the Himachal Pradesh Government’s submission that the relevant rule has been amended and notified to enable women employees to get child care leave, the Bench disposed of a petition filed by Shalini Dharmani, an Assistant Professor at the Department of Geography in the Government College, Nalagarh, who has a 14-year-old son with special needs.

Earlier, noting that the State can’t be oblivious to the special concerns of working women, the Supreme Court had in April ordered the Himachal Pradesh Government to constitute a three-member committee headed by Chief Secretary to reconsider the entire aspect of the grant of child care leave to mothers, including those bringing up children with special needs and submit a report to it by July 31.

“In the meantime, pending further orders, the application by the petitioner for the grant of special leave under Rule 32 of the CCS (Leave) Rules shall be favourably considered by the competent authorities,” it had said.

“The participation of women in the work force is not a matter of privilege, but a constitutional entitlement protected by Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution; besides Article 19(1)(g). The State as a model employer cannot be oblivious to the special concerns which arise in the case of women who are part of the workforce,” it had noted.

“The provision of child care leave to women subserves the significant constitutional object of ensuring that women are not deprived of their due participation as members of the workforce. Otherwise, in the absence of a provision for the grant of child care leave, a mother may well be constrained to leave the workforce,” the top court had said in its April 22 order.

Dharmani’s son suffered from a rare genetic disorder, i.e., Osteogenesis Imperfecta and had undergone several surgeries since birth and required continuous treatment, surgical intervention to survive and lead a normal life.

Due to the treatment of her son, she had exhausted all her sanctioned leave. She had sought additional child care leave under Rule 43-C of the Central Civil Service (Leave) Rules 1972, which provided for paid leave for a maximum period of two years, i.e., 730 days during the entire service for taking care of up to two children whether for rearing or to look after any of their needs like examination, sickness. On March 3, 2010, the Centre extended the age of the child from 18 years to 22 years.

On November 16, 2018, her request was rejected on the ground that the Himachal Pradesh Government has not adopted provisions for child care leave, forcing her to move the Himachal Pradesh High Court which dismissed her petition April 23, 2021, noting that Rule 43-C has been deleted by the state.

However, the Supreme Court had said that “the policies of the State have to be consistent and must be synchronised with constitutional protections and safeguards.”

On Wednesday, Singh told the Bench that the petitioner has already availed the benefits of the 2024 Rules in as much as 93 days of childcare leave has been availed and duly granted.

The Bench gave liberty to the petitioner to make a representation to the state government for enlarging the benefit under the child care leave rule. “If any such representation is made, the Respondent State shall consider the same as expeditiously as possible,” it said.

Hamirpur temple shop ‘prasad’ found unfit for eating

Samples of ‘rotes’ sold as ‘prasad’ at the Baba Balak Nath temple trust shop at Deothsidh in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district have been found to be unfit for consuming.

‘Rotes’ are made of wheat, sugar and ‘desi ghee’ or vegetable oil, and are offered to Baba Balak Nath by the devotees as a customary practice.

About 50-75 lakh people visit the ancient and famous religious shrine of Baba Balak Nath every year. They pay their obeisance to Babaji and offer ‘rotes’, sweets and other articles to Baba Balak Nath.

Officials said complaints were being received about the quality of the ‘rotes’ offered in the Deothsidh temple. Following this, the Food Safety Department lifted samples of ‘rotes’ from the temple and sent them to Kandaghat lab in Solan district for testing.

The samples have been found to be unfit for eating, said officials on Tuesday.

The report made it clear that the rotes being used as ‘prasad’ were stale and could be harmful for health.

Assistant Commissioner Food and Safety Anil Sharma said according to the report, the samples of rotes failed and the department will take action according to guidelines.

Lakhs of people have been eating rotes as prasad, unaware of their quality. To add to it, people often keep the rotes in their house for several months and keep consuming it as prasad, said a devotee Mohan Singh from Hoshiyarpur.

Meanwhile, Hamirpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amarjit Singh has instructed the officers of the Food and Safety Department and other related departments to ensure that the quality of all food items in all the hotels, restaurants, dhabas, sweet shops, all other food shops, hostels and canteens of various institutions and mid-day meals remains according to the standards.

The DC, who was upset with the report of Kandaghat lab regarding the rotes being sold at Deothsidh, said licences of shopkeepers should be suspended immediately and legal action should be taken against them if any irregularity is found in any food shop or if any sample fails. He directed regular inspection and sampling of food items.

He gave these instructions while presiding over the meeting of the District Level Advisory Committee of the Food and Safety Department on Tuesday.

The DC also directed the officers to take quick steps to fully implement the ‘Bhog’ project which encourages the places of worship to adopt food safety and hygiene in preparing, serving and selling food, and to train food operators for basic food safety and hygiene.

Jalodi Jot Tunnel – Ministry of Road Transport and Highways set on tunnel alignment

Kullu: The long-pending Jalori Jot tunnel project in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh may finally see the light of day as the ministry of road transport and highways is set to decide the tunnel alignment.

According to the officials of the national highway wing of the public works department, which is overseeing the project, the department has submitted its study report on the proposed tunnel alignments to the ministry.

In the study report sent to the ministry, the department has chosen five out of the total nine alignments while rejecting four. The five alignments selected by the department also include Alternative-4, which is suggested by the residents of Shoja village located near Jalori Jot, a high mountain pass located at an altitude of 3,120 meters. Shoja residents have also been opposing Alternative-2, an alignment they believe if approved, would threaten the village’s existence as the tunnel would then be dug and built right under their place of living.

“The five alignments were selected after conducting a thorough study and weighing all pros and cons, including safety, length of tunnel, expenditure, etc. We have sent the alignments to the ministry, which is expected to finalise the one alignment in near future. It’s a priority project. We are expecting the decision this month only. Once the alignment is finalised, the project will start on ground,” said K L Suman, executive engineer, national highway circle, Rampur.

“We have also incorporated in our report to the ministry the concerns and views of Shoja villagers and also the tunnel alignment suggested by them. The tunnel will not be built by endangering anyone’s safety,” said Suman, adding that there was no threat to the Shoja village from the project.

“As far as Shoja is concerned, our studies show that there is no threat to the village from the proposed tunnel. Even if a tunnel is built below the Shoja village, it will be 500 metres beneath. In some other alignment, a tunnel is proposed as close as 30 metres beneath a village, but it is still safe,” said Suman.

In July this year, over 200 Shoja residents had unanimously rejected Alternative-2 alignment, which they said would put the whole village at risk. They feared that if implemented, the tunnel would go right beneath the village. The residents have been demanding that Alternative-4, which they believe is the safest alignment, should be implanted.
The Alternative-4 was finalised by a consultant company in a detailed project report (DPR) in 2018 after studying five different alignments. However, Altinok Consulting Engineering Inc – the consultant company hired by the ministry of road transport and highways in Dec 2022 – later started zeroing in on Alternative-2 alignment after replacing Alternative-4. Under Alternative-4, the tunnel will have a length of 4.2 km with its north portal in Ghiyagi village near Shoja on the Banjar side and south portal in Khanag village on the other side of Jalori Jot towards Anni.

According to the 2018 DPR, the Alternative-4 is most feasible due to the stable rocky portion and geologically suitable terrain of the area.

The construction of Jalori tunnel on Aut-Luhri national highway-305 has been a long pending demand of the residents of the area, especially those from the Anni and Nirmand sub-divisions, which gets disconnected from district headquarters Kullu during winters due to heavy snowfall.

The Ghiyagi-Jalori-Khanag stretch, where the tunnel’s north and south portals have been proposed, remains blocked for days in winters and if the project is implemented it will provide an all-weather connectivity between Kullu and Anni, Nirmand and up to Shimla, directly benefiting people of around 69 panchayats.
The tunnel is proposed to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 990 crore.

Occupancy poor, court orders closure of 16 HPTDC properties

The Himachal Pradesh High Court yesterday ordered for the closure of 16 properties of the HP Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) with effect from November 25, 2024.

As per the order, the properties includes, The Palace Hotel, Chail; Hotel Geetanjali, Dalhousie; Hotel Baghal, Darlaghat; Hotel Dhauladhar, Dharamsala; Hotel Kunal, Dharamsala, Hotel Kashmir House, Dharamsala; Hotel Apple Blossom, Fagu; Hotel Chanderbhaga, Keylong; Hotel Devdar, Khajiar; Hotel Giriganga, Kharapatthar; Hotel Meghdoot, Kiarighat; Hotel Sarvari, Kullu; Hotel Log Huts, Manali; Hotel Hadimba Cottage, Manali; Hotel Kunzum, Manali; Hotel Bhagsu, McLeodganj; Hotel The Castle, Naggar; and Hotel Shivalik, Parwanoo.

While passing this direction, Justice Ajay Mohan Goel directed the Managing Director of the Tourism Development Corporation would be personally responsible to ensure the enforcement of this order.

The court further ordered that the skeletal staff which is necessary for the upkeep of the property be retained on the premises of the properties which have been named hereinabove and the Tourism Development Corporation would be at liberty to transfer the remaining of its employees so that its need in other places.

While passing this order, the court observed that “as running of these properties is apparently not financially viable as of now and in order to ensure that public resources are not wasted by the Tourism Development Corporation in the upkeep of these white elephants.”
The court passed this order after perusing the occupancy position of the 56 hotels being currently run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation as from the month of January to December, 2022, 2023 and till October, 2024.

After perusing the same, the court observed that “A perusal of the occupancy position, which is taken on record, demonstrates that the things are much more dismal than what was being apprehended by the court.”

The court further observed that “to give a few illustrations, the Hotel Pinewood of HPTDC at Badog, which has 30 rooms, had 40.02 per cent occupancy in the year 2022, 31.61 per cent in the year 2023 and 36.84 per cent in the year 2024.

Similarly, the Palace Hotel, Chail, Solan district, which comprises of 50 rooms, had occupancy of 28.39 per cent in the year 2022, 24.42 per cent in the year 2023 and 26.62 per cent in the year 2024. This court would only be referring to those hotels which in the course of the arguments before this court were claimed to be the flagship hotels of the Tourism Development Corporation.”

It further observed that “the hotels in terms of occupancy position, which have occupancy of more than 50 per cent are Hotel Hamir, Hamirpur; Hotel Jwalaji, Jawalamukhi; Hotel Ros Common (Old), Kasauli; Hotel Tourist Inn, Rewalsar; The Suket, Sundernagar; and Himachal Bhawan, Chandigarh.”

Justice Ajay Mohan Goel further observed that “the above clearly demonstrates that the Tourism Development Corporation has not been able to utilize its properties to earn profit therefrom.

The continuation of the functioning of these properties but natural is nothing but a burden on the exchequer of the state and the court can take judicial notice of the fact that there is a financial crunch which is daily being propagated by the state in the matters being listed before the Court involving finances.”

The court further directed the Managing Director of Tourism Development Corporation to file a compliance affidavit qua implementation of the order that has been passed by the court today and also furnish a list of those superannuated employees who belong to Class-IV category and those employees who are no more in the world, so that amount that has been generated from the dues that have been received by the Tourism Development Corporation can be ordered to be released in favour of the retired employees and family members of deceased employees.

The court passed this order on a petition filed by the ex-employee of the HPTDC that the corporation is not paying the retiral benefits to its employee due to its poor financial condition. After hearing the matter, the court listed the same for compliance on December 3.

I’m for Himachal’s ‘interest’, judiciary too must bear its ‘caretaker’ role, says CM Sukhu

Big-administrative-reshuffle-may-happen-as-soon-as-CM-Sukhu-returns-from-Delhi

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said the judiciary, while passing orders like the attachment of Himachal Bhawan in Delhi, must bear in mind under what rules such orders are being passed.

“Like the state government is caretaker of all its properties like Himachal Bhawan, the officials and judges sitting in the judiciary should also be its caretakers like us,” a seemingly unhappy CM said while talking to mediapersons here today.

He was reacting to the High Court order on attaching Himachal Bhawan in Delhi for failure of the state government to pay Rs 64 crore arbitration award in favour of Seli power company.

“Invariably the orders of the arbitrators are not in our favour. After depositing the arbitration money, we will file an appeal against the arbitration order,” he added. I will examine whether our case was pleaded properly by our lawyers in the court or not, said Sukhu.

Sukhu said Rs 64 crore is not a big amount for Himachal government but the case is being fought on legal grounds.

“We have paid Rs 3,000 crore arrears to employees last month, so paying Rs 64 crore is not such a big issue, but it’s a legal battle, which we are fighting,” he stated.

Sharing the details of the legal dispute, CM said Moser Baer company took up the project in 2009. “There was competitive bidding as Rs 10 lakh per MW reserve price was fixed. Mosaer Bear was allotted the project but they did not start work. The matter finally went into arbitration,” said Sukhu. Whether the projects become operational or not the upfront money has to be deposited.

He lashed out at Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur for sensationalising the issues and blowing it out of proportion.

“The BJP regime headed by Jai Ram Thakur had agreed to pay Rs 280 crore award of the arbitrator in the Brakel case, along with interest to the company. His government did no go into appeal against the arbitrator’s award and it is our government which challenged it and finally the High Court order went in favour of Himachal government,” he said.

He said the previous BJP regime was willing to pay Rs 280 crore to Brakel without contesting the award of the arbitrator, which only shows that they were willing to compromise on the state’s interest.

Himachal-cadre IAS officer Murthy to be next Comptroller and Auditor General of India

The Central Government on Monday said K Sanjay Murthy will be the next Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Murthy, a 1989-batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, will succeed Girish Chandra Murmu.

He is currently Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.

“By virtue of the power vested in her by clause (1) of article 148 of the Constitution of India, the President has been pleased to appoint K Sanjay Murthy to be the Comptroller and Auditor General of India with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office,” said a notification issued by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.

Girish Chandra Murmu assumed office as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on August 8, 2020. He will complete his term on November 20.

Tourists rush to Kullu, Manali on weekends

With the weekend bringing a noticeable increase in the tourist footfall, hoteliers in the popular hill stations of Kullu and Manali are optimistic, though they still face challenges due to the lack of snowfall.

The winter season, which usually sees a surge in the number of visitors drawn by snow activities, has not yet met the expectations of local tourism stakeholders.

Room occupancy in Manali hotels has reportedly risen above 50 per cent over the weekends, offering a glimmer of hope for businesses that were earlier struggling with less visitors. However, the weekdays continue to be slow, with hoteliers expressing concern over the sluggish start to the tourist season.

While the weekends are seeing a decent influx of tourists, the rest of the week remains relatively quiet. Our only hope now is snowfall,” said Hem Raj Sharma, a hotelier in Manali.

He said snowfall was crucial for attracting tourists, especially those looking to engage in winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. “If it snows soon, we expect a significant increase in tourists, which will help boost our business,” he added.

Local tourism leaders also share this sentiment. Anup Thakur, president of the Kullu-Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal, acknowledged the slight increase in weekend tourism, but noted that the overall figures were still below expectations. “Tourism units in Kullu-Manali are flourishing so we need a higher volume of visitors to sustain the industry. Snow is a major attraction for tourists during winter and we are hoping for it soon,” Thakur said.

The region’s tourism has traditionally been heavily dependent on snowfall during the winter months, with tourists flocking to Manali for snow-related activities. Without this key attraction, many businesses are struggling to maintain revenue levels.

Hoteliers are now looking to the weather with great anticipation, hoping that the coming days will bring the snowfall needed to kick-start the winter tourism season. Despite the challenges, the increase in weekend visitors has provided some relief, offering a temporary respite to businesses in distress.

Himachal’s higher reaches to receive snowfall from Nov 22: MeT

Tourist activity increased in Himachal

The higher reaches of the state are expected to witness snowfall from November 22. As per the state’s Meteorological Department, rain and snow are very likely to occur in the higher hills of Chamba and Kangra districts on November 22 and in the higher reaches of Kangra and Kullu districts on November 23.

Meanwhile, weather was mostly dry across the state during the past 24 hours.

The maximum temperature in Shimla was 17.8°C, in Dharamsala (24.5°C), Manali (16.7°C), Kasauli (18.1°C), Solan (23.6°C), Bilaspur (26.3°C), Chamba (24.7°C), Kufri (12.8°C), Narkanda (13.2°C), Nahan (24°C), Bhuntar (25.4°C), Kalpa (15.3°C), Sundernagar (25.6°C), Mandi (23.2°C) and Bilaspur (26.3°C).

The lowest temperature in the state was minus 5.6°C recorded at Tabo in Lahaul and Spiti district while the highest temperature was 27.6°C recorded in Una.

Pollution board imposes Rs 1.73-cr fine on Manali MC for contaminating Beas

River rafting bhrigu lake himachal peadesh

The state Pollution Control Board has imposed a composite fine of Rs 1.73 crore on the Manali Municipal Council for causing polluting the environment and the Beas.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also slapped a fine of Rs 4.6 crore on the MC, and the last date for its submission is December 19.

The decision comes after the High Court of Himachal did not provide relief to the MC. Meanwhile, due to a political turmoil in the MC, the post of the president has been lying vacant since September 25.

The waste from the district was dumped at the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) Plant at Rangri near Manali and various civic bodies paid Re 1 per kg of waste to the MC from 2019 to July 15, 2024. However, the MC officials abstained from divulging the details related to the income received from other civic bodies for the garbage.

Due to this, the legacy waste piled up and now, leachate discharge from this waste was polluting the Beas and the environment.

The MC had also received funds from the Urban Development Department and the government for the removal of legacy waste.

However, the accumulated waste has not been removed despite the MC officials’ claim to have lifted it. The officials stated that machines were being installed by the new contractor, and that problem would soon be resolved.

The waste is being scattered near the national highway. The NGT, in its orders on May 29, had issued directions for the criminal prosecution under Sections 15, 16, 17 and 19 of Environment Protection Act, 1986, as the case might be against Kullu District Magistrate, Manali MC’s Executive Officer and Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department.

The High Court had so far stayed the operation of the impugned order as the instructions were issued regarding the criminal prosecution against the fourth petitioner – the Executive Officer of Manali MC – only. However, the MC has not deposited the fine and neither has the situation regarding the legacy waste improved.

However, residents of Manali are irked by the lackadaisical approach of the MC office-bearers and officials, due to which the civic body will have to bear a fine of around Rs 6 crore. Sanjeev, a resident of Manali, said a huge amount, which could be spent for development, would be used for the purpose of remediation, rejuvenation and restoration of the damaged environment, caused due to negligence of MC office-bearers and officials.

Local social activist Gautam Thakur said that the amount should be recovered from the negligent councillors and officers. The taxpayers of Manali should not be made to bear the brunt of the follies of the MC.

Baddi’s air quality remains poor, vehicular emissions key reason

Vehicular emissions have emerged as one of the key causes of air pollution in the Baddi industrial area, with the air quality index (AQI) dipping by nearly 100 points at night.

From 340 in the day, the AQI plummeted to nearly 240 this morning around 10 am. It was measured at 237 this evening at 6.05 pm by the Central Pollution Control Board, bringing some relief — though it continued to remain unhealthy.

It has failed to show much improvement and has been rated as very unhealthy consistently for days. The index has failed to dip below 200 and has touched as much as 345 earlier this week.

Though as per an action plan drawn out by the state pollution control board in 2020, a study was supposed to be conducted to change the fuel pattern of the industry and opt for a cleaner fuel, no step has been taken in this direction. The study was supposed to give suggestions to opt for a cleaner fuel.

Though IIT-Kanpur studied the source of air pollution and attributed vehicular emission as the biggest contributor, no serious effort has been made to suggest a cleaner fuel.

This lax approach of the state government has exposed the population to a great risk of acquiring air borne disease with children and the elderly facing particular difficulties.

Nearly 10,000 vehicles enter and leave this industrial belt on a daily basis owing to which the air quality shows a steep rise in the day. An analysis of the AQI figures revealed that a difference of nearly 100 points was visible within 24 hours.

The development of green belt in open areas, gardens, parks, community places, schools and housing societies were also suggested to mitigate the impact of air pollution.

Providing air pollution control measures during the demolition of old buildings and new constructions was also mooted but it has remained a mere recommendation. The civic bodies of Baddi and Nalagarh were supposed to take the initiative.

With key infrastructure projects like four-laning of the Baddi-Nalagarh highway and laying of railway tract underway in Baddi, the air pollution was at its worst. The transportation of crushed stones and sand in open trucks also leads to high levels of suspended particulate matter and respirable suspended particulate matter, which comprise the AQI.

Vehicular exhaust, road dust, construction activities, biomass and garbage burning and domestic fuel also contribute to air pollution.

Stack monitoring of process stack and boiler stacks is supposed to be regularly carried out by the state pollution control board.

Commissioner’s court seeks reply from Sanjauli mosque committee regarding 2 remaining floors

The Commissioner’s court has sought a reply from the Sanjauli Mosque Committee and the Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board regarding the remaining two floors of the five-storeyed mosque in Sanjauli.

On October 5, the Commissioner’s court had ordered the Sanjauli Mosque Committee to raze the top three floors of the mosque within a stipulated time of two months.

After the hearing of the case, Himachal Pradesh Waqf Board office-bearer Qutbuddin said, as per the orders of the court, summons will be issued after the reply regarding the ground and first floors of the mosque and will be filed on the next date of the hearing of the case. He said that the reply would be filed after the committee received the notice.

The case is also being heard in the district court as a Muslim organisation had sought a stay on the Commissioner court’s order to demolish the top three floors of the mosque. The next hearing of the case has been scheduled for November 18.

Two arrested with 91.4 gram heroin in Nurpur

hamirpur-news-one-arrested-with-five-kg-charas-bhoranj-hamirpur

Following a tip-off, the Damtal police in Nurpur police district raided a house at Chhanni village this morning and recovered 91.4 gram of heroin (Chitta) and Rs 38,000 drug money from the possession of Bharat and his younger brother Khanna.

They were arrested by the police and a case under Sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act was registered against them. The duo were involved in drug peddling in the inter-state border belt.

Ashok Ratan, Superintendent of Police (SP), Nurpur, said Bharat was involved in drug peddling cases in the past too. He said the Indora police in Nurpur and Pathankot police in Punjab had already booked him under the NDPS Act after recovery of heroin from his possession in September 2018 and March 2020, respectively.

The SP said Bharat’s younger brother Khanna was also facing two cases under the NDPS Act. The Damtal police had arrested him in November 2020 and the Indora police had nabbed him in March 2018 after recovering heroin from his possession. —

Sukhu announces relief for Rampur disaster-hit families

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today announced a special relief package for disaster-affected Samej and Bagi areas of Rampur in Shimla district on the pattern of the relief package given last year.

He made this announcement while presiding over the closing ceremony of the four-day International Lavi Fair at Rampur.

He said, “The families, which have lost their homes completely in the disaster, will receive Rs 7 lakh rather than Rs 1.50 lakh while those with partially damaged homes will receive Rs 1 lakh. The state government will provide death certificates and financial assistance to the families of persons, who had gone missing in the disaster.”

Sukhu said that the government had rehabilitated 23,000 affected families last year and provided a special economic package of Rs 4,500 crore without support from the Central Government. He criticised the previous BJP government for allegedly squandering public funds.

Sukhu said that more public welfare schemes would be introduced in the upcoming Budget. He added that while needy families would continue to enjoy subsidy benefits, affluent families would be encouraged to give up such benefits voluntarily.

The Chief Minister said that the state government was committed to strengthening the education and health sectors. “It is the state government’s responsibility to provide education to each child but without proper teachers and facilities, it will be a betrayal of public trust,” he added.

He said that to address this problem, 3,000 teachers had already been appointed on the batch-wise basis while another 3,000 teachers were being recruited. He added that the state government had restored the old pension scheme for its employees and started giving a Rs 1,500 monthly pension to eligible women.

Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that the Lavi Fair was a symbol of cultural heritage and trade exchange. He credited the Congress government with a robust disaster response and ongoing development across the state. Around Rs 250 crore had been allocated for road projects in Rampur alone, he claimed.

Dues pending, HPTDC to charge 60% advance for banquet booking

To get its outstanding dues cleared, the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) has issued directives that 60 per cent of the total charges for banquet booking for marriages and parties should be taken as advance.

The HPTDC, which has more than Rs 3.04 crore outstanding dues, has also issued directions that all heads of the tourism units must collect the outstanding dues by November 17. Various government agencies still owe Rs 2.45 crore to the HPTDC and all officials concerned have been told to issue notices to the heads of the departments to recover the dues.

The HPTDC has also issued directives that besides taking 60 per cent of the banquet charges as advance, 20 per cent of the charges must be taken a week before the proposed function. It is following strict directives issued by Justice Ajay Mohan Goel that the HPTDC has been able to recover the money.

The court had on November 12 issued directions that if the outstanding dues of the HPTDC from the government were not cleared by November 30, the heads of departments concerned would be liable of contempt of court. The court had also ordered that the HPTDC shall not offer its services or properties without receiving 80 per cent of the tentative amount, which would be due. Following the court directives, the HPTDC swung into action and managed to realise Rs 2.15 crore.

The directives came at a time when serious efforts are being made to bring the HPTDC out of the red and a retired IAS officer Tarun Shridhar has been entrusted the task of suggesting ways to improve its financial health. The HPTDC has 55 properties, including hotels and cafes, but 35 of them are in loss. The total outstanding dues of the HPTDC are Rs 5.19 crore and Rs 4.13 crore of these were payable by various government undertakings.

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