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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.