In Narauli village of Mandi district, Asha Ram has emerged as a beacon of hope, adopting Subhash Palekar’s natural farming method.

Cultivating various crops without chemicals on 5.5 bighas, he has earned an annual income of Rs 1.5 lakh.

Farmers’ commitment and the state government’s support have led to the rise of natural farming in Himachal Pradesh. More and more residents are recognising the benefits of this sustainable practice.

Asha Ram made the switch to chemical-free agriculture due to rising health concerns linked to chemical use and declining soil quality.

In 2018, he participated in a month-long seminar on natural farming organised by the Agriculture Department under the ATMA project at the Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan. Post-training, he applied techniques learned from the seminar to his practice.

Today, Asha Ram cultivates wheat, peas, pulses, maize, traditional grains, cauliflower, mustard, barley and pomegranates using natural farming techniques.

The pomegranate varieties he has planted include Mridula, Kandhari, Kandhari Kabuli and Seedless Dolka, all of which show promising results.

He sells his pomegranates at the local Karsog market, generating an income of Rs 80,000 to Rs 90,000 annually from this crop alone.

Combined with other crops, his total income has reached approximately Rs 1.5 lakh per year.

Asha Ram said, before adopting natural farming, he incurred expenses of about Rs 22,000-25,000 annually on chemical farming.

Now, these costs had been reduced to just Rs 3,000-4,000. This shift had also improved soil health, and increased the population of beneficial insects in his fields.

According to him, the ATMA project has supported him with grants for constructing a permanent floor for his cow shed and setting up a resource centre.

He is actively working to involve other local farmers in this sustainable approach, aiming to transform the entire village into a model village for natural farming.

ATMA project Block Technology Manager (Karsog subdivision) Mohit commended Asha Ram for his efforts, stating that he had truly sparked a new wave of hope in the community
The department continues to provide ongoing support to enhance his economic stability, and promote sustainable agriculture in the region.

Govt support helped

Asha Ram cultivates wheat, peas, pulses, maize, traditional grains, cauliflower, mustard, barley and pomegranates using natural farming techniques
He sells his pomegranates at the local Karsog market, generating an income of Rs 80,000 to Rs 90,000 annually from this crop alone
The govt project supported him with grants for constructing a permanent floor for his cow shed and setting up a resource centre

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Central Water Commission, and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on a PIL highlighting unauthorised constructions on riverbed and their adverse impacts on environment, ecology and public health.

A bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud asked the respondent ministries, departments/commissions/boards to respond in three weeks to the PIL filed by Ashok Kumar Raghav, a former Director General of Police, Uttarakhand, who wanted the court to ban all unauthorised constructions and encroachments on riverbeds, floodplains and catchment areas of all rivers.

Citing news reports linking illegal mining, flash floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to illegal encroachments on riverbeds, Raghav has sought directions to demolish all unauthorised constructions and encroachments on the riverbeds, floodplains and catchments of all rivers, water courses and water channels, including the tributaries and restore them to their original forms.

On behalf of Raghav, advocate Akash Vashishtha submitted that increasing illegal and unauthorised constructions/encroachments on floodplains and catchment areas of rivers and water courses have become the biggest cause of devastation across India.

The PIL sought directions to notify the 2015 draft of the River Conservation Zone (RCZ) Regulation without any further delay and demarcation of the floodplains of all rivers, water courses and water channels within a time-bound period not exceeding three months. The draft RRZ proposes to establish River Conservation Zones (RCZs) to prevent encroachments on rivers and floodplains.

Citing the Composite Water Management Index report of the Niti Aayog, the petitioner stated that India was suffering from the worst water crisis in its history.

“According to a reply tendered by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti in Lok Sabha on March 23 last year, the per capita water availability in the country is fast reducing due to increasing population,” the PIL pointed out.

A PhD on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Magnesite mining in Central Indian Himalayas, Raghav is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London and the Bioved Research Society and had been the Vice-Chancellor of APG Shimla University, Shimla.

He was conferred with Green Award of Doon Ratna Series ‘Shivalik Ratan’ under the aegis of Uttarakhand Citizen Council jointly by the Governor, Chief Minister and Lokayukta of Uttarakhand for research work on the degradation of the Himalayan environment.

Raghav urged the top court to intervene and grant legal protection to all rivers, including tributaries, as well as water courses and water channels, and floodplains and catchments thereof to ensure water and ecological security for the people of India.

Residents of Lindur village in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti are facing an escalating land subsidence crisis, prompting them to demand urgent rehabilitation to safer locations. The situation has become increasingly perilous as 14 houses had developed significant cracks, rendering them uninhabitable. The subsidence has not only threatened the residential area, but has also impacted the agricultural land, causing substantial damage to the livelihoods of local farmers.

Relief camps set up

Villagers have expressed fears as large fissures continue to appear in fields, triggering landslides that further exacerbate the instability in the region.
The residents, citing safety concerns, have been vocal about the necessity of relocating to a safer area.
In response to the alarming situation, the district administration has set up temporary relief camps to provide shelter to the affected villagers.
Recently, Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana visited the village to assess the crisis.
Villagers have expressed fears as large fissures continue to appear in fields, triggering landslides that further exacerbate the instability in the region. The residents, citing safety concerns, have been vocal about the necessity of relocating to a safer area where they could rebuild their lives without the constant threat of land collapse.

Hira Lal Rashpa, one of the affected villagers, stated, “We have been seeking rehabilitation to another place because this area has become unsafe for living. The situation is worsening every day due to land subsidence.”

In response to the alarming situation, the district administration has set up temporary relief camps to provide shelter to the affected villagers in case of any emergency.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld a widow’s entitlement to liberalised family pension for her husband’s death while aiding in a natural calamity. But the court did not interfere with an order restricting the arrears of the pension to three years before the filing of her petition, due to a significant delay in initiating the claim.

The matter was placed before the Bench of Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Sudeepti Sharma after the petitioner challenged an order by the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) that limited the payment of arrears to three years preceding her application date. The Bench was told that her husband, an ex-Naik, was killed in 2009 while assisting military and civil authorities to extinguish a forest fire near the Indo-China border. He was posthumously declared a “battle casualty,” which entitled families to liberalised family pension under category ‘D’ as per government policy for personnel killed during operational duties.

The AFT initially ruled in favour of the petitioner, allowing liberalised family pension but limiting the arrears due to the delayed filing. The petitioner contested the limitation, seeking full arrears. The Union of India argued that the petition should have been filed in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, where the cause of action arose.

The Bench rejected the jurisdictional objection, noting that the impugned order originated from the AFT in Chandigarh, giving the Punjab and Haryana High Court authority over the matter. The court observed the order was issued by AFT in Chandigarh and not by a circuit Bench temporarily held in Shimla. If the order had been made while the AFT regional bench was sitting in Shimla, it might have been appropriate to challenge it in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. But since the proceedings were conducted in Chandigarh, the jurisdiction to hear this case rightly belonged to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which has its principal seat in Chandigarh.

On the merits, the court reviewed government policies regarding death and disability benefits. The petitioner argued that her husband’s death should be classified under category ‘E’ for fatalities in direct operational circumstances, rather than category ‘D.’ However, the court dismissed this claim, affirming the AFT’s classification under category ‘D,’ which applies to personnel fatalities during assistance in civil matters like natural

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today allocated Rs 50 crore for the payment of the pending overtime dues of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) staff. These dues were pending for the past 55 months and the government would look to clear them completely by March 31 next year.

The Chief Minister, while presiding over the golden jubilee celebrations of the HRTC here, announced that the government would settle pending medical bills amounting to Rs 9 crore in the next two months and the salary and pension would be disbursed on October 28.

Sukhu congratulated the HRTC staff and pensioners on the golden jubilee and acknowledged their contributions to the development of the state. He urged the HRTC officials to transform it into a ‘green corporation’ so that it becomes self-reliant by March, 2026. He alleged that financial mismanagement by the previous BJP government had pushed the corporation into losses but his government was making all-out efforts and taking all reforms to improve its fiscal health.

Sukhu said that besides upgrading the infrastructure of the corporation, the government was also ensuring the welfare of its employees. “Around 7,300 HRTC employees are now getting the benefit of the old pension scheme (OPS), the services of 1,546 contractual employees have been regularised and 608 new jobs have been created. Around 550 positions are being filled and 421 employees have been promoted,” he added.

He said that his government had added 210 new ordinary buses, 11 Volvo buses and 35 electric buses to the HRTC fleet. “There are plans to purchase 297 type-1 electric buses, 30 air-conditioned type-3 electric buses, 50 mini buses and 24 Volvo buses. A budget of Rs 327 crore has been allocated to the HRTC for the purchase of electric buses,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sukhu released the HRTC’s Coffee Table Book and honoured its officers and employees for their exceptional services. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the true strength of the HRTC lied in the professionalism and dedication of its employees. “Travelling in an HRTC bus has become a symbol of comfort and attraction. The effective management of the corporation has not only improved the occupancy rates but increased public trust in the services of the HTRC,” he added.

Agnihotri said that the Chief Minister had an emotional connection with the HRTC, as his late father had worked for it. “Around six lakh passengers travel in HRTC buses every day, which makes it the lifeline of this hilly state having a challenging topography,” he added. He thanked the Chief Minister for allocating Rs 327 crore for the purchase of electric buses for the corporation.

Managing Director, HRTC, Rohan Chand Thakur gave a detailed account of the achievements of the corporation over its 50-year journey.

Tensions are escalating between technocrats from the Jal Shakti Department and the district bureaucracy in Kangra over the recent allotment of a government house in Dharamsala.

The Engineers Association of the Jal Shakti Department is protesting the Deputy Commissioner’s decision to reassign a general pool quarter, which has been occupied by the department for 32 years, to the Commissioner of the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation.

Sandeep Guleria, spokesperson for the Engineers Association, voiced the department’s frustration, stating that the house had long served as essential accommodation for the Superintendent Engineer (SE) of the Jal Shakti Department. According to Guleria, the sudden reallocation of the residence, without prior consultation or regard for the department’s needs, was an unjust and disruptive decision. He further emphasised that the house had been critical for the SE posted in Dharamsala for decades and that the new allotment violated established departmental housing traditions.

In addition to the reallocation, the DC imposed a penal recovery of rent on the SE of the Jal Shakti Department, requiring him to vacate the house, even during his retirement ceremony. Guleria criticised this action as punitive and said it would negatively impact the morale of engineers who serve the public tirelessly.

The Engineers Association, alongside technocrats from the Public Works Department (PWD) and Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Pvt Ltd, is planning to join forces in protest. They have sought intervention from the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, urging the Deputy Commissioner to reverse the allotment, cancel the penal recovery, and provide justice to their department.

However, Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa dismissed the claims, stating that the Engineers Association was sensationalising the issue. He asserted that the house in question was part of the general pool and could be allocated to anyone, regardless of past occupants. Bairwa offered to assign an alternative house from the general pool to the SE of the Jal Shakti Department, emphasising that long-term occupancy did not entitle the department to adverse possession rights over the property.

Cultural troupes from six countries have so far confirmed their participation in the seven-day Kullu Dasehra Festival scheduled to commence on October 13.

The Kullu Dasehra Festival Committee is hopeful that troupes from 21 countries will take part in the festival this year compared to troupes from 15 countries last year.

Sunder Singh Thakur, Chief Parliamentary Secretary and Dasehra Committee chairman, while addressing mediapersons here today, said that cultural troupes from Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Russia, the USA and Kyrgyzstan would perform in the open air auditorium and the historical Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra during cultural evenings of the International Folk Dance Festival. He added, “Talks are underway with the cultural troupes of other countries. A group having artistes from six countries will also perform during the festival while artisans from Thailand and Uzbekistan will showcase their cultural richness.”

Thakur said that the Ambassadors of four countries had consented to take part in the festival and 12 diplomats were expected to be attend the Ambassadors’ meeting with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here on October 18. Discussions will be held regarding various sectors in the state, especially related to industry, tourism, agriculture and cultural exchanges, he added.

He said that Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla would inaugurate the festival while the Chief Minister would be the chief guest at the closing ceremony on October 19.

Thakur said that Punjabi singers Shahid Mallya, Kulwinder Billa and Gurnam Bhullar, playback singer Shraddha Pandit and Indian Idol fame singer Kumar Sahil would be the star performers during the cultural evenings. He added that Neeraj Shridhar of Bombay Vikings, Trap Band and the Himalayan Roots Band would also enthrall the audience. Troupes from Assam, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand would present the glimpses of their cultures.

He said that a fusion cultural performance would be a new addition and choreographers would prepare presentations comprising both foreign and domestic artistes. He added that the traditional ‘Laldi’ dance on October 18 would also have a new look.

Thakur said that an International Cultural Parade would be held on October 14 and an improved version of the Kullu Carnival would be organised on October 19. He added, “Artistes from Himachal, including Kullu district will be given an opportunity to showcase their talents.” National-level women Kabaddi and volleyball tournaments would also be held at the Rath ground during the sports festival.

He said, “To bring uniformity in shops set up during the fair, Pagoda-style canopy tents have been installed in the Meena Market like last year. New tents have been provided for the camp temples of the visiting deities.”

Fusion cultural performance

Fusion cultural performance will be a new addition and choreographers will prepare presentations comprising both foreign and domestic artistes
The traditional ‘Laldi’ dance on October 18 will also have a new look
An International Cultural Parade will be held on October 14 and an improved version of the Kullu Carnival will be organised on October 19
Artistes from Himachal, including Kullu district, will be given an opportunity to showcase their talents
National-level women Kabaddi and volleyball tournaments will also be held at the Rath ground during the sports festival

Noted shehnai player from Himachal Pradesh Surajmani passed away at the AIIMS-Bilaspur, officials said on Friday. He was 63.

Suffering from chronic pancreatitis, Surajmani breathed his last on Thursday. He is survived by wife and two sons.

Hailing from Chachiot village in the Nachan area of Mandi district, Surajmani was often referred to as the “Bismillah Khan of Himachal” after the late shehnai maestro and was known for his contributions in preserving the folk-music traditions of the hill state.

Sources said Surajmani suffered a pancreatic attack soon after returning home from Chandigarh, where he had gone for a recording.

He was first admitted to a hospital in Mandi from where he was referred to the AIIMS, Bilaspur.

The auspicious sound of Surajmani’s shehnai became a trademark of any district or state-level function in Himachal Pradesh. He also performed in the US.

A large number of artistes, musicians and fans from across the state have mourned Surajmani’s death.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Jairam Thakur and Nachan MLA Vinod Kumar were among the politicians and administrative officials who expressed their grief over Surajmani’s passing away.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday ordered release of 4 per cent dearness allowance for government employees and reimbursement of medical bills with immediate effect.

Details are awaited.

The footrot disease is killing the sheep and goats of Gaddi shepherds in the state. The shepherds have reportedly lost about 20 per cent of the flock of their sheep to the disease and suffered heavy financial losses.

The disease has continuously hit the animals of the Gaddi shepherds in the past many years but no solution to the problem has been found. A proposal of scientists of CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, to develop a vaccine for the disease has not been approved for the past four years.

Bhadar Singh, a shepherd of Jhanjharda Nachher village in Kangra district, said that this year, he had lost about 50 per cent of his sheep to the footrot disease. Veterinary doctors could not save the poor animals, he added.

Like Bhadar, many other shepherds have lost their sheep to the disease in different parts of the state. Prof Subhash Verma of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology in the Palampur agriculture university, is studying the eruption of the disease in Himachal. He said that the disease was caused by a cocktail of bacteria in sheep and goats. “The animals suffering from it lose their hoofs and are not able to walk. So, shepherds have no option but to sell such animals in distress or cull them,” he added.

Earlier, this disease was prevalent in Jammu and Kashmir. However, it has now spread to Himachal and other parts of the country. There are also reports of the disease outbreak in Rajasthan and various southern states, he added.

Prof Verma said that at present, there was no standardised treatment of the disease. “We have sent a proposal for the development of a vaccine for the disease to the state government several times in the past four years. However, the Rs 70 lakh proposal is yet to be approved,” he added.

He said, “The Union Government has accepted a research proposal to identify the strains of the bacteria that are causing the disease. Scientists of the Palampur agriculture university, University of Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala will undertake the research on the disease but no funds have been received for the project.”

Akshay Jasrotia, president of the Ghumatu Pashu Sabha, said that the disease was causing extensive losses to the Gaddi shepherds in the state. The Congress government should take measures to help the Gaddi shepherds by providing antibiotics or a vaccine for the disease, he added.

Minister for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Chander Kumar said that the officials of Animal Husbandry Department had not informed him about the outbreak of the disease. “I will discuss the matter with them and try to help shepherds, who are losing their sheep and goat to the footrot disease,” he added.

Secretary, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Rakesh Kanwar was not available for comments despite repeated calls to his mobile phone.

Agriculture Minister unaware of outbreak

A Rs 70 lakh proposal of Palampur agriculture university scientists for the development of a vaccine for the disease has not yet been approved
The Central Government has approved a project for the identification of the strains of bacteria causing the disease
Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar not aware of the disease outbreak
A shepherd of Jhanjharda Nachher village in Kangra district has lost about 50 per cent of his sheep to the footrot disease
Earlier, the disease was prevalent in J&K

At least 30 passengers were injured, with 6 sustaining serious injuries, when an Uttarakhand depot bus crashed into a tipper and plunged into a tunnel yard below the Solan-Shimla National Highway-5 this afternoon.

The accident occurred around 1.50 pm near Kandaghat, as the bus was travelling from Shimla to Tanakpur. On board were Nepalese labourers returning home after working in the apple orchards of upper Shimla.

According to the tipper driver, who was driving ahead of the bus, the bus was being driven rashly and negligently. However, passengers claimed that the bus developed a mechanical defect, causing it to overturn

Six passengers suffered serious injuries, with four referred to IGMC Shimla and two rushed to Solan Regional Hospital. The remaining passengers received preliminary treatment at the Kandaghat hospital and were discharged.

The local administration swiftly responded to the incident, providing assistance to the Nepalese passengers. Efforts are underway to retrieve luggage from the bus, enabling the passengers to continue their journey in other vehicles.

Former BJP leader Rakesh Chaudhary dies by suicide at Tanda Medical College, authorities confirmed. Chaudhary was admitted yesterday night with suspected poisoning and passed away in ICU at 4 pm today.

Chaudhary’s wife was also admitted to the hospital after allegedly attempting suicide. Her condition is stable, and she is out of danger. However, she is not yet able to provide a statement.

SP Kangra Shallini Agnihotri stated that the investigation will proceed after recording Chaudhary’s wife’s statement.

Rakesh Chaudhary, an OBC leader from Dharamsala, rose to prominence in 2019. He contested the Dharamsala assembly byelection as an Independent candidate, securing 16,000 votes and finishing second. In the 2022 assembly poll, Chaudhary ran as a BJP candidate but lost to Congress candidate Sudhir Sharma by 3,000 votes.

In the recent Dharamsala bypoll, Chaudhary contested as an Independent after Sudhir Sharma joined BJP.

Sources suggest Chaudhary suffered from depression.

A resident of Mandi has lost Rs 36.5 lakh to cyber fraud.

A complaint was registered at the Cyber Crime police station here on Monday.

According to ASP Manmohan Singh, the victim received a call from an unknown number, claiming that his mobile was linked to illegal activities, and 17 FIRs had been filed against him in Mumbai.

The scammers sent fraudulent documents, alleging suspicious bank accounts and fake ATM cards under the victim’s name.

They also provided fake court orders. Posing as an IPS officer, the scammers pressed him to surrender funds, promising to return the money in three days.

“When the promised money did not arrive, he tried to contact the fraudsters but received no response. Realising that he had been scammed, he reported it to police. An investigation is on.” the ASP said.

He said people are advised to avoid answering calls from unknown numbers. If threatened, they should not panic and immediately report the matter to police.

Taking strong exception to Union Health Minister JP Nadda’s remark that the Congress government could not run the state without the Centre’s assistance even for a single day, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said he should know that we had a federal system in the country and that the Centre did not favour any state.

“From where does the Centre get taxes? It gets its money by collecting taxes from the states. So, the Centre is not doing any charity, it’s the right of the people and the states to get assistance from the Centre,” Sukhu said while inaugurating a new OPD block of a cancer hospital in Shimla on Monday.

During his recent visit to the state, Nadda had launched an all-out attack on the Congress government, mainly highlighting the financial dependence of the state on the Centre.

“The Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) and our share in Centre and state taxes is our right. So it was inappropriate for the Union Minister to make such comments,” Sukhu said.

Furthermore, the Chief Minister said Nadda had falsely accused the state government of imposing ‘toilet tax’. “The BJP leaders have been making such comments and allegations to influence the Haryana elections.

No such tax has been imposed, yet it was made a national news,” he said. Sukhu further said the government had stopped free water supply to commercial establishments such as luxury hotels.

“There are around 1,000 hotels that make profit anywhere between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 10 crore. Should they get free water and free power?

We have only stopped that. So, making such comments without knowing the actual facts is unfortunate,” he said. “The BJP leaders are making personal allegations. One should refrain from such politics,” the CM added.