A missing trekker was rescued today near Yunam Peak in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti, following a coordinated operation by the Lahaul Spiti Police.

The trekker, part of a group of nine navigating the treacherous terrain, went missing while exploring the area around Yunam Peak, which rises to an elevation of 20,300 feet.

Upon receiving reports early this morning, a rescue team was swiftly moved to the spot, led by ASI Ravi Dutt, alongside head constable Vijay Kumar and constable Mohit Shanil. The team, equipped with specialised rescue gear and accompanied by experienced trekkers, undertook a demanding 6-km ascent to locate the missing individual.

SP Mayank Chaudhary said, “Despite facing extreme weather conditions, the team successfully reached the trekker and ensured their safe return. The rescue highlights the commitment of the Lahaul Spiti Police to uphold the safety and security of all individuals in the region.”

The SP praised the team’s swift action to locate the missing trekker.

The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday passed an order, directing all the street vendors and food establishments to prominently display the names of owners, proprietors and staff members.

The move, seen as following in the footsteps of the Yogi Adityanath government, is aimed at bringing cleanliness and hygiene to the food outlets.

A day ago, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mandated the display of the names of eatery shop owners, managers and proprietors outside their food centres. Installation of CCTVs in hotels and restaurants has also been made mandatory.

Himachal Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, briefing the media on Wednesday, said the state government has made a decision similar to that of Uttar Pradesh to ensure that people have access to clean and hygienic food.

“Urban Development Ministry and the Municipal Corporation, in a meeting, collectively took this decision while taking into account people’s fears and apprehensions about the availability of food at food stalls,” Vikramaditya said.

We have decided to strictly enforce the rules in the state, much like Uttar Pradesh,” he told scribes.

He further stated that those selling food on the streets will have to display their names and IDs prominently. If any complaints are received regarding food and menu, suitable action will be taken.

When questioned on restricting food vendor licences to Himachal residents alone, he voiced opinion against it, however, he added that reservations are being mooted in offering new licences.

“Locals should be preferred for giving licences while those from Dalit community and handicapped category will be entitled to a certain amount of reservation,” he added.

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has advocated for the reintroduction of the contentious farm laws, emphasising their importance for farmers’ welfare.

At Gohar’s local fair closing ceremony, Ranaut stated, “Farmers are the nation’s development pillars. I urge them to demand the laws’ reinstatement for their greater interest.”

Ranaut expressed confidence in the government’s commitment to farmers’ welfare under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership. She argued that restoring the laws would ensure farmers’ financial stability and growth, benefiting the agricultural sector.

The three farm laws, initially introduced to enhance farmers’ welfare, were repealed following widespread protests. Ranaut noted that opposition was mainly limited to a few states.

Kangana Ranaut’s remarks come at a crucial time when India’s agricultural community faces numerous challenges, including market access and pricing issues. As an MP, her appeal is expected to revive discussions on the contentious issue of agricultural reforms, a critical topic in Indian politics.

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday directed the SIT investigating the Palampur businessman case to add IPC sections pertaining to extortion and intentionally threatening or inducing someone to give up property against the accused. It also pulled up the DGP.

In his complaint, the businessman, Nishant Sharma, had alleged threat to him, his family and property. He had also questioned the role of the then DGP Sanjay Kundu, who had allegedly made calls to him, asking him to come to Shimla.

Sharma maintained that the former DGP was interfering in a property dispute.

Serious allegations of extortion, attempt to extort and land grabbing have not been investigated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and other officers prior to constitution of SIT and both have failed to add Sections 384 to 387 in the FIR registered on November 16, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Jyotsna Dua Rewal said.

The Bench observed that several lapses indicated in the reports filed by sitting DGP Atul Verma submitted in July 2024 show that the investigation by the SIT and its predecessor investigation officers has been tardy and important angles have not been investigated.

The high court ordered the SIT to add Sections 384 to 387 to the FIR, investigate all aspects and areas in the report filed by the DGP, add a police officer of Himachal Pradesh Armed Police Battalion as member of the SIT by the state government and issue notification in this regard within three days.

The SIT report indicates that instead of investigating holistically all aspects of the matter, including the extortion angle, it seemed to be determined to disprove the alleged attack on the complainant on October 27 at McLeodganj, the court said.

The court observed that the non-seizure of mobile phones, laptops and other potentially crucial sources of digital evidence is also a serious lapse. It noted that the SIT in its reports had stated that it will go into the financial dispute between the two parties and the allegations of involvement and misuse of connection of one party with politicians and bureaucrats but does not seem to have gone into it.

“In our opinion, the defence of the actions of the SIT in the written submissions given by the Advocate General does not justify reaching a conclusion that the SIT’s investigation has been comprehensive,” the court said.

The court made it clear that it has not expressed any view on the truth or veracity of the allegations made by the parties involved in the said FIRs and they shall all be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

It listed the next hearing on November 5 for filing the status report by the DGP and the SIT.

The former DGP had also filed a case of defamation against Sharma for harming his reputation and attempting to malign his image.

As the Himachal Pradesh government sought dismissal of the Punjab government’s suit against the former’s attempt to take control of Shanan Hydropower Project from the latter on the expiry of a 99-year lease, the Supreme Court on Monday said it would first hear the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government’s plea against maintainability of the Bhagwant Mann government’s suit.

On the expiry of the lease on March 1, the Centre had asked both the states to maintain the status quo.

“We will have to first hear the preliminary objections (raised by the Himachal Pradesh government) against the suit,” a Bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Pankaj Mithal on Monday said, posting the matter for hearing on November 8.

The British-era Shanan hydropower project at Jogindernagar, 40 km from Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, was constructed in 1925 under the lease executed between Raja Joginder Sen, the ruler of the then Mandi state, and Col BC Batty, a British representative.

The project – which used to feed the undivided Punjab, Lahore and Delhi before Independence — is said to be in a poor condition as the Punjab government allegedly stopped the repair and maintenance work.

The Punjab government has filed an original suit against the government of Himachal Pradesh and the Centre under Article 131 of the Constitution which deals with original jurisdiction of the top court in a dispute between the Centre and one or more states or a dispute between two or more states.

Contending that it was the owner and was in lawful possession of Shanan Power House Project and its Extension Project along with all assets currently under formative control of the government of Punjab through Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL), erstwhile PSEB, the Punjab government has sought a “permanent Prohibitory Injunction” restraining the Himachal Pradesh government from disturbing the lawful peaceful possession and smooth functioning over the Project.

Now, the Himachal Pradesh government said the Punjab government’s suit was barred by law, didn’t disclose any cause of action, and was not at all maintainable. The 1925 agreement was the basis for the construction of the project, the grant of lands and the recognition of rights between the parties, it said.

“Since the agreement in question has a force of law as per Section 2 (f) of the 1970 Act (Himachal Pradesh Act), therefore, by operation of law the suit property is vested in the state of Himachal Pradesh/Defendant No.1. Hence, plaintiff has no cause of action to maintain the present suit against the true owner and, therefore, the plaint is liable to be rejected as the same is barred by law as well as discloses no cause of action,” the Sukhu government submitted.

he Punjab government was never the signatory of the land lease agreement; hence the present suit seeking a prohibitory injunction is not maintainable against the true owner of the land, it said, adding a dispute arising out of a pre-Constitution treaty or agreement is not amenable to the jurisdiction of this court under Article 131 of the Constitution.

The top court had on March 4 issued summonses to the Centre and the Himachal Pradesh government on the Punjab government’s suit against the HP government’s attempt to take control of Shanan Hydropower Project from Punjab. On July 29, it had given time till September 9 to the Himachal Pradesh government and the Centre to respond to the Punjab government’s suit.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that the state government was taking significant steps to reform the education sector so as to provide better facilities in its educational institutions.

He said that the government had taken a decision to restructure the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and all District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) to strengthen the training mechanism for teachers.

“The SCERT has been made an apex institution for school and teacher training and its administrative control has been transferred to the State Project Director, Samgra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Similarly, the administrative oversight of DIETs has also been given to the State Project Director, SSA,” he added.

Sukhu said, “Previously, the SCERT was under the Higher Education Department while the Elementary Education Department managed DIETs, leading to a lack of clarity in the policy regarding the deployment and transfer of teachers in these training institutions. The restructuring will provide much-needed clarity in the functioning of both entities.”

Sukhu said, “Established in 1954 as the College of Education, the SCERT has evolved over decades. It transformed into the State Institution of Education in 1970 and later was restructured as the SCERT in 1984.

It’s core mission is to enhance the quality of education by providing in-service training to teachers and other educational personnel. Besides, it is also intended to serve as a hub of academic research, innovation and motivation by organising workshops and seminars on various educational issues.”

He said, “The government has also given a make-over to DIETs, which play a crucial role in providing pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes as well as conducting state and district-level educational research on various issues such as enrolment, retention and gender parity in education.”

He added, “Innovative practices of primary and upper primary teachers will be encouraged and shared through regular district-level seminars and newsletters. The state government remains dedicated to raising educational standards and improving teachers’ training mechanism.”

Not well, Sukhu cancels rallies in J&K

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has cancelled his election meetings in the Doda area of Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow due to ill health

He remained at Oak Over and cancelled all his engagements for the day
Saturday morning, Sukhu visited the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital for medical check-up
A hospital spokesperson said that he was suffering from gastritis and so visited the hospital for an ultrasound test

The ultrasound report is normal but since his routine tests are being done, doctors have advised him to take rest for the next three days, said Naresh Chauhan, Principal Media Adviser to Chief Minister

Dharamsala has lost the opportunity to host the North Zone Athletics Meet. Sources say that the National Athletics Association had proposed to hold the championship at Dharamsala from October 7 to 9.

Events like races in the 100 metre and 800 metre, medium and long distance categories were to be organised in the championship. Besides, long jump, high jump and javelin throw competitions were also to be held. More than 400 players from seven states were scheduled to come to Dharamsala for the meet.

Now, the National Athletics Association has shifted the event to New Delhi. The sources say that the association has shifted the tournament from Dharamsala to New Delhi as the Himachal Pradesh Athletics Association has failed to generate resources for holding the championship. The national and state level associations also blame the state Sports Department for not extending any help to the event.

National vice-president of the National Athletics Association Suman Rawat, who belongs to Himachal, says that it is unfortunate that Himachal has lost the opportunity to host the North Zone Athletics Meet. “We have worked hard to bring the event to Dharamsala. However, we did not get any support from the Sports Department of the state. Our people approached Sports Department officials but they refused to extend any help, including providing some basic equipment lying in their offices,” she adds.

The BJP has blamed the Congress government for the shifting of the tournament. State BJP spokesperson Sanjay Sharma says that the previous BJP government had brought a synthetic track to Dharamsala for holding athletics tourneys. The synthetic track was also recommended for high altitude training for athletes. It is unfortunate that the state government has failed to support the HP Athletics Association in hosting the North Zone Athletics Meet at Dharamsala,” he adds.

Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Yadwinder Goma says that nobody had approached him for financial support for organising the North Zone Athletics Meet. Had they approached me, the government would have definitely helped the HP Athletics Association to host the event at Dharamsala,” he adds.

Sources in the HP Athletics Association say that it used to get an annual grant of about Rs 50,000 from the government but got no money in the past five years. Successive governments had talked about making Dharamsala a sports centre for holding national and international meets, but except cricket matches hardly any event had been held here. The proposals to set up a Sania Nehwal badminton academy, high-altitude training centre and a shooting academy here are yet to take shape.

No ~50K grant-in-aid for past five yrs

The National Athletics Association has shifted the event to Delhi from Dharamsala as the HP Athletics Association failed to generate resources for holding the championship
The BJP has blamed the Congress government for the shifting of the tournament
Sources say the HP Athletics Association used to get an annual grant of ~50,000 from the state government but got no money in past five years

More than two months after the Supreme Court Collegium led by CJI Chandrachud had recommended names for appointment of Chief Justices to high courts of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Madras and Meghalaya, the Centre on Saturday notified the appointments.

Union Minister for Law and Justice (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal took to X to announce the appointments.

In separate notifications, the Department of Justice said that Justice Manmohan—currently the Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court—has been appointed as Chief Justice of the same high court, while Justice Rajiv Shakdher of Delhi High Court will be the new Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice MS Ramachandran Rao has been transferred to the Jharkhand High Court.

Justice Suresh Kait of the Delhi High Court has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, while Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji of the Calcutta High Court will be the new Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.

Similarly, Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar of the Bombay High Court and Justice Shriram Kalpathi Rajendran of the Bombay High Court have been appointed as Chief Justices the Kerala High Court and the Madras High Court, respectively, while Justice Tashi Rabstan, the Acting Chief Justice of J&K and Ladakh High Court, will be the new Chief Justice of the same high court.

The notifications came a day after a Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud on Friday asked the Centre to explain the delay and provide information on the names recommended and reiterated for appointment by the CJI-led Collegium.
You tell us the reasons why those appointments have not been made. Which are the matters reiterated and why are those pending?” it had told Attorney General R Venkataramani.

“The Supreme Court Collegium is not a search committee whose recommendations can be stalled,” the Bench had asserted.

The Bench had, however, at the request of Venkataramani deferred the hearing on the issue of judicial appointments to next week, saying some of the appointments of high court chief justices were likely to be cleared soon.

“If you can please make a list of the names reiterated and why it is pending and at what level it is pending… Show us why it is pending,” the CJI had told the Attorney General who said, “There are several reasons why such names are pending and we have no hesitation in disclosing the facts to the Bench.”

In supersession of its July 11 resolution, the Supreme Court on September 17 recommended Justice GS Sandhawalia, Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Suresh Kumar Kait to be appointed as chief justices of high courts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and Madhya Pradesh, days after the Centre said that certain “sensitive information” available with it was delaying forward movement on the Collegium’s recommendation for appointment of high courts of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Madras and Meghalaya.

Since Justice Shakdher is due to retire on October 18, 2024, the Collegium, in supersession of its earlier recommendation dated July 11, had on September 17 recommended that Justice G S Sandhawalia, the senior-most puisne Judge of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, be appointed as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on the retirement of Justice Shakdher.

In the hope of saving about Rs 700 crore annually, the cash-strapped Himachal Government has finally withdrawn the power subsidy being given to the large industry. The power rates, however, still remain the lowest among northern states.

Subsidy on 125 units goes, public hit

The power subsidy to the large industry ranged from 70 paise to ~1 per unit
Subsidy for 125 units of free power to people using over 300 units withdrawn too
Relief in electricity duty, ranging from 2.5 to 9 per cent, for small, medium & large industry
As part of its initiatives to enforce fiscal prudence, the much-awaited orders for the withdrawal of power subsidy to the large industry, ranging between 70 paise to Re 1 per unit, have finally been issued by the Power Department.

Himachal Pradesh being an electricity surplus state, the power tariffs still remain lower than Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand. This has been done as the lower tariffs remain the biggest attraction for the industry.

The withdrawal of subsidy, however, comes with a substantial relief in the existing electricity duty, ranging between 2.5 and 9 per cent, for the small, medium and large industry, the cement industry and stone crushers.

The order for the withdrawal of subsidy for 125 units of free power to people consuming over 300 units has also been issued. The quantum of subsidy withdrawn will be Rs 1.03 per unit for domestic consumers falling in the third slab with a consumption higher than 300 units. The 125 units of free power for the lower slabs will continue.

The latest move is part of several initiatives taken by the Sukhu-led Congress regime to cut down subsidies in power, water and transport to improve the fiscal health of the state. At the same time, the cash-strapped government, which is heavily dependent on the Centre for funds, is looking at other sectors like tourism, power and mining to generate additional revenue. However, the industries which are enjoying the benefits and concessions in the electricity duty under the HP Industrial Investment Policy-2019 will continue to get these.

The exclusion of domestic consumers with a consumption of over 300 units will save the state government a substantial amount of money, which had to be provided annually to the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board to give relief to the consumers to neutralise the impact of increase in tariff by the state government.

Known for courting controversy with her off-the-cuff remarks, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut on Friday said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had rewritten the history of India to change the face of the nation within the last 10 years of the NDA regime.

Speaking at a function, “Honouring Vishwakarma in New India”, organised at the ITI in Mandi, she said Modi was today known to be the architect of modern India. “There is no second thought that if anyone is re-scripting history, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who within the last 10 years, has changed the face of the nation. He has led India from having an uncertain future, being a staggering economy to the third most powerful economy of the country,” she remarked.

She said the PM was concerned about the uplift and progress of every section of society. “The PM understood the plight of the Vishwakarma community and took initiatives, including giving them identity and extending benefits of various schemes to them,” she said.

She said Indian craftsmen created some of the best architectural marvels in the world, for which the Mughals and British chopped off their hands. “The entire world is researching as to how the Kailash Temple in Maharashtra was made as it is not humanly possible. People still cannot believe how craftsmen could create such a grand temple out of a single stone,” she said.

The PM understands the talent of this community who are master artisans and efforts are being made to use modern technology, like digitisation, to benefit them and promote their talent, which is on the verge of extinction,” she said.

She said three ministries had been set up to facilitate easy loans for the Vishwakarma community so that they could purchase modern equipment.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has completed the construction of four tunnels on the four-lane Kiratpur-Manali National Highway, designed to bypass Mandi city. These 4-km long tunnels are likely to be thrown open to traffic by the first week of October. It will significantly ease traffic congestion that plagues Mandi, especially during the peak tourist season.

Every year, Mandi experiences severe traffic jams as tourists from other states flock to Kullu, Manali and Lahaul and Spiti. The traffic congestion affects not only the visitors but also local commuters, who often find themselves stuck in jams for hours. The new tunnels will provide much-needed relief, allowing smooth transit and quicker access to nearby destinations.

Varun Chari, Project Director of the NHAI Kiratpur-Manali Project, said, “The tunnels will bypass Mandi city and ease traffic congestion significantly. We are hopeful that all formalities will be completed soon and we will be able to open these tunnels to traffic in the first week of October.” He added that an approach road connecting to a bridge on the bypass was under construction and was expected to be completed in the coming days.

While the residents of Mandi have welcomed the construction of the tunnels, local businessmen and traders, particularly those in the hospitality sector, are concerned about their potential negative impact on their livelihoods. Hoteliers fear that the bypass will divert tourist traffic away from the city. Ankush Sood, a local hotelier, says, “Our business relies heavily on tourists passing through Mandi. We worry that this project will reduce our customer base.”

In contrast, hotel owners in Kullu and Manali are optimistic that the new tunnels will facilitate hassle-free travel to the region and increase tourist arrival. Tourists travelling between Mandi and Pandoh face inconvenience due to the ongoing road construction work. The three tunnels are expected to improve the overall travel experience.

The process to fill 2,700 posts in the Health Department is underway to further improve healthcare services.

Special attention is being paid to the healthcare needs of elderly citizens above the age of 70. The government is planning to introduce a scheme that will provide medical testing facilities on their doorsteps, said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here today.

He said that considering the salubrious climate of Himachal Pradesh, which was especially suited for tuberculosis (TB) patients, the state government was contemplating to promote health tourism in a big way.

The Chief Minister inaugurated a two-day meeting of the National Task Force under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme here. TB experts from across the country are participating in the event. Sukhu also launched the offline mode of the ‘Meri TB Ki Kahani Phase-II’ initiative aimed at dispelling stigmas associated with TB and creating public awareness about the disease.

Sukhu said that Himachal could capitalise on its natural environment on promoting medical tourism as pine forests were suited for TB patents. “Modern technology like artificial intelligence-enabled portable X-ray machines have been made available in five districts and this service will also be expanded to the remaining districts soon,” he added.

Himachal is the first state in the country to launch the second phase of this campaign, besides hosting the meeting for the second time. “Valuable recommendations that emerge from the workshop will be instrumental in combating this dreaded disease. On our part, we are extending all possible support to eradicate TB, with around 15,000 such patients being treated every year,” he added.

Sukhu said that the state government had signed an agreement with AIIMS, Delhi, for acquiring latest medical equipment. He added that the health facilities at Tanda medical college, Kangra, and the IGMC, Shimla, were being strengthened and efforts were underway to create a conducive environment for the health staff to function efficiently.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said that TB patients in Himachal were provided a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 and the government was working diligently to enhance healthcare facilities, especially in remote areas. Health Secretary M. Sudha Devi, National Health Mission Director Priyanka Verma, Director of Health Services Dr Gopal Berry, National Task Force Chairman Dr Ashok Bhardwaj, Joint Director of the Central TB Division Dr Sanjay Kumar Mattu and DDG-TB Dr Urvashi Singh attended the meeting.

In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, the Shimla police have arrested a Jammu and Kashmir resident, Mudasir Ahmed Mochi, with about 468 g of heroin near Kharapathar. The accused, from Bhatpura village in Kupwada district, was caught after police received a tip about a delivery to a Rohru-based drug peddler.

Acting swiftly, DSP Theog Siddharth Sharma led a team to set up a check post at Kharapathar, where they intercepted Mochi. A search yielded the contraband, leading to his immediate detention.

A case under Section 21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been filed against Mochi. Authorities are investigating his connections to the Rohru-based kingpin.

The CM inaugurated the two-day meeting of the National Task Force under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme here, in which TB experts across the country are participating.

He also launched the offline mode of the ‘Meri TB Ki Kahani Phase-II’ initiative, aimed at dispelling stigmas associated with TB and creating public awareness about the disease.

Sukhu said Himachal can capitalise on its natural environment on promoting medical tourism as pine forests are suited for TB patients. Modern technology like artificial intelligence-enabled portable X-ray machines have been made available in five districts and this service would also be expanded to the remaining districts soon, he added.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Wednesday said considering the salubrious climate of Himachal, especially suited for tuberculosis patients, the state government was contemplating promoting health tourism in a big way.

The CM inaugurated the two-day meeting of the National Task Force under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme here, in which TB experts across the country are participating.

He also launched the offline mode of the ‘Meri TB Ki Kahani Phase-II’ initiative, aimed at dispelling stigmas associated with TB and creating public awareness about the disease.

Sukhu said Himachal can capitalise on its natural environment on promoting medical tourism as pine forests are suited for TB patients.

Modern technology like artificial intelligence-enabled portable X-ray machines have been made available in five districts and this service would also be expanded to the remaining districts soon, he added.

Himachal is the first state in the country to launch the second phase of this campaign besides being host to the meeting for the second time.

“The valuable recommendations that emerge from the workshop would be instrumental in combating this dreaded disease.

On our part, we are extending all possible support to eradicate TB, with around 15,000 patients being treated annually,” he remarked.

Sukhu said the state government had signed an agreement with AIIMS, Delhi, for acquiring latest medical equipment.

He said the health facilities at Tanda Medical College, Kangra, and IGMC, Shimla, were being strengthened and efforts were under way to create a conducive environment for the health staff for their efficient functioning.

“The process for filling up 2,700 posts in the health department is under way to further improve health care services,” he added.

As many as 50 roads are shut for traffic across Himachal Pradesh due to rainfall, landslides and collapse of bridges. Sixty-two power transformers have been rendered non-functional.

The highest 21 roads are blocked in Shimla district, followed by 13 in Mandi. The maximum 46 power transformers are non-functional in Mandi district.

According to the weather department, light to moderate rainfall, along with lightning and thunderstorms, is likely to continue at a few places in the districts of Bilaspur, Solan, Mandi, Kullu and Hamirpur over the next few hours, the department said.

There’s also a possibility of some intense spells of rainfall at isolated places in these districts. In the remaining districts, there are chances of light rainfall over the next three to four hours.

The Asooz Navratra fair will be held at the Mata Chintpurni shrine from October 3-12, said Jatin Lal, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the Chintpurni Temple Trust after presiding over a district-level review meeting today.

The DC designated SDM Amb as the Mela Officer, DSP Amb as the Mela Police Officer, while Amb Senior Medical Officer will be the Medical Officer in-charge during the fair. He said that the temple area and its periphery would be divided into four sectors, each under the control of a magistrate and a police officer.

Jatin Lal said one supervisor will be on duty in each sector to ensure cleanliness and sanitation. He directed the Jal Shakti Department to ensure that water tankers meant to provide clean drinking water to devotees to be cleaned and sanitised before being filled.

The DC said a dedicated task force will be deployed to check begging and that any person found guilty of using or instigating children into the act of begging, would be punished. He said the services of Social Emergency Response Volunteers, who have been trained by the District Disaster Management Agency to help mitigate any disaster, would be available.

The DC said private persons or organizations wanting to set up ‘langars’ to feed devotees will have to get prior permission from Amb SDM. The use of disposable items made from plastic or thermocol have been prohibited. He said devotees seeking ‘Sugam Darshan’ by paying Rs 1,100 for a group of five persons or ‘darshan slips’ for physically challenged persons, can contact counters to be set up at Mai Das Sadan, Shambhu barrier and at the Chintpurni bus stand.

Preparations on in full swing

Temple area and its periphery to be divided into 4 sectors, each under the control of a magistrate and a police officer

One supervisor will be on duty in each sector to ensure cleanliness and sanitation
Private persons or organisations wanting to set up ‘langars’ to take permission from SDM
The use of disposable items made from plastic or thermocol have been prohibited
Emergency response volunteers to help mitigate any disaster
Task force set up to check begging; anybody forcing children to beg to be punished

As many as 74 roads have been shut for vehicular movement across Himachal Pradesh following rain over the last few days.

Over the last week, Himachal recorded rainfall, which was 48 per cent more than the normal. As against the normal of 28.2 mm, the state recorded 41.6 mm rainfall.

Shimla, Solan, Bilaspur and Kinnaur districts saw the highest deviation from the normal – over 100 per cent.

The highest number of roads (39) closed for the traffic fall in Shimla district.

Around 10 roads each are blocked in the apple belts of Rohru, Jubbal, Kotkhai and Rampur. This might cause inconvenience to the apple growers who have harvested the fruit and are planning to take it to market yards.

The state has recorded fairly widespread rainfall since Saturday morning. According to the meteorological department, the weather would remain partly cloudy in the state on Monday.

Traffic was partially disrupted after a massive landslide occurred near Kumarhatti on the Kumarhatti-Solan stretch of the National Highway No. 5 on Monday afternoon.

A large quantity of soil and boulders fell down the hill, blocking access to some flats located uphill.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which has four-laned the highway, directed the contractor concerned to rush labourers and machinery to the site to clear the debris.

Project Director, NHAI, Anand Dahiya said traffic had been hit on one lane while the other portion of the highway was open to vehicles. He said the road would be cleared by Tuesday as a large quantity of debris had fallen on it.

Though repair work was undertaken by a private contractor, the hilly slope has once again eroded following rain in the area.