Shimla police on Friday claimed to have busted an inter-state drug racket, recovering 169 grams of heroin and arresting four drug peddlers in the process.

According to officials, a case under Sections 21 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against the accused, with the estimated value of the contraband between Rs 25-30 lakh.

Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi stated that the contraband was seized from an inter-state drug peddlers’ gang.

“The arrested accused have been identified as Rahul, Anil, Deepak, and Karan – all residents of Amritsar, Punjab. They were apprehended during a patrol based on secret information near Chaulanthi. We recovered 169 grams of heroin from their possession,” SP Gandhi said.

Property worth Rs 2 crore is being investigated to trace the drug money links. In the last 15 months, we have registered 600 cases and arrested about 1,000 peddlers,” SP Gandhi added.

This year, in observance of World Drug Day, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Shimla police organised a bike rally in the city to raise awareness about drug abuse in the region.

Heavy rain lashed several parts of Himachal Pradesh, leading to the closure of 85 roads for vehicular traffic.

The Shimla meteorological office on Thursday issued an ‘orange’ alert, warning of heavy to very heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places till Friday and warned of flash floods risk in a few areas in Mandi, Sirmaur and Shimla districts.

As many as 85 roads including 59 in Mandi, 21 in Shimla, four in Mandi and one in Kangra were closed for vehicular traffic following rains and 17 transformers were disrupted in the state, according to the state emergency operation centre.

A portion of the stretch between Mandi and Pandoh of the Chandigarh-Manali four-lane highway which had developed cracks on Wednesday caved in on Thursday, forcing officials to allow only one-way traffic, officials said.

Locals said a retaining wall was constructed by spending lakhs of rupees but it has started sinking and has gone down by about two feet. They questioned the quality of the construction.

The tarring work is going on at the spot on a war footing, project manager Raj Shekar had said earlier.

The meteorological department said monsoon activity is likely to intensify and spells of heavy to very heavy rainfall are likely over the next two-three days at a few places in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Chamba, Mandi, Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts.

The Met office also issued a ‘yellow’ warning for heavy rains on July 6 and 7, and cautioned of damage to plantation, horticulture and standing crops, partial damage to vulnerable structures, minor damage to ‘kutcha’ houses and huts due to strong winds and rain, disruption of traffic and waterlogging in low-lying areas.

Sundernagar has received 119 mm of rainfall, the highest in the state, since Wednesday evening.

Palampur received 109.4 mm of rainfall, Shimla 90.6 mm, Gohar 80 mm, Solan 79.8 mm, Mashobra 78.5 mm, Jogindernagar 75 mm, Baijnath 70 mm, Mandi 68.2 mm, Kufri 59.2 mm, Kangra 49.2 mm and Narkanda 48.5 mm during this period.

Narkanda in Shimla district recorded the lowest minimum temperature of 13.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night while Una was the hottest during the day with a maximum temperature of 33.6 degrees Celsius.

The Dalai Lama, who had undergone a knee replacement surgery in the US, is recovering well. To allay the concerns of thousands of followers of the Dalai Lama across the world, his personal physician, Dr Tsetan, issued a statement on Thursday.

In the statement Tsetan’s said, “Today is the fifth day since His Holiness had the knee surgery. Both his surgical doctor and physical therapist said after assessing His Holiness that he has made tremendous improvement. His recovery rate is much higher than other patients’ undergoing similar treatment. A lot of people were concerned that this treatment and the recovery process would be very painful. However, the pain is very low and His Holiness can now walk. Day by day, he is getting better. Now our plan is to move His Holiness out of New York to a more spacious, open area with clean air and natural landscape. A lot of people both inside and out of Tibet are worried. I want to ask everyone not to worry.”

He said that as per the investigative methods of the traditional Tibetan medical system that involves investigating pulse movements and urine analysis, the Dalai Lama’s condition is getting much better. His pulse movements — the pulse rate and mode of pulsation — are well balanced and indicate reaching a state that is disease-free or a homeostatic state. There is no need for people to worry about the Dalai Lama’s condition, he added.

The Dalai Lama, who is 88 years old, was facing difficulty in walking independently due to knee problem. He used to take assistance from his close associates to walk. He left Dharamsala on June 20 for the knee replacement surgery. He underwent surgery on June 28. Tibetans in exile had been organising prayers for early recovery of the Dalai Lama.

Heavy rain lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh, affecting vehicular traffic on Wednesday while the meteorological department warned of more rainfall along with thunderstorms till July 7.

Katuala was the wettest in the state with 169 mm of rain followed by Pandoh with 117 mm, Sujanpura Tira 88 mm, Gohar 60 mm, Mashobra 58 mm and Dharamsala 56.4 mm, the meteorological department said.

Jot received 54 mm of rain, Kahu 51.5 mm, Baggi 40.2 mm, Mandi 38.2 mm, Malron 35 mm, Baldwara and Sundernagar 30.6 mm each and Kufri 30 mm.

As many as 18 roads, including 12 in Mandi, four in Chamba and one each in Kangra and Lahaul and Spiti districts were closed for vehicular traffic following rains.

The local weather office issued a yellow warning for heavy rains along with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh till July 7.

Bhuntar was hottest during the day with a maximum temperature of 35.6 degrees Celsius while Kukumseri in Lahaul and Spiti recorded a minimum temperature of 12.3 degrees Celsius.

The Dainkund hill near the picturesque town of Dalhousie has been transformed into a breathtaking wonderland as fields of white daisies are blooming across its high hills. The stunning natural spectacle has not only captivated locals, but also attracted tourists from across the country, who are eager to witness the mesmerising beauty of the delicate flowers.

Every year, as the monsoon season approaches, the hills of Dalhousie come alive with the blooming of white daisies. This year, the bloom has been abundant, creating a sea of white flowers that stretch as far as the eye can see. The daisies, with their bright white petals and yellow centres, contrast beautifully with the lush green backdrop of the hills, creating a scene reminiscent of a fairy tale.

The bloom has turned Dainkund trekking trail into a hotspot for nature enthusiasts, photographers and travellers seeking a tranquil escape. Local hotels and guesthouses have reported a surge in bookings. “It’s like walking through a dream,” says Ananya Singh, a tourist from Maharashtra. “The hills covered in daisies are simply magical,” she added.

Rajiv Mishra, a photographer, said, “I’ve travelled to many places, but the sight of these white daisies at Dainkund is unparalleled. It’s a paradise for photographers.” Similarly, Meera Mohan, visiting from Bangalore with her family, remarked, “The beauty of Dainkund was beyond words.”

The influx of tourists has also provided the much-needed boost to the local economy as the hill station is bustling with activity, benefiting from the increased footfall.

In light of the bloom, there has been a renewed focus on conservation efforts in the region. Environmental groups are working to ensure that the influx of tourists does not negatively impact the delicate ecosystem. Visitors are being encouraged to respect the natural environment, avoid littering and stick to designated paths.

The white daisy bloom holds a special place in the hearts of Dalhousie residents. It is seen as a symbol of purity and peace, embodying the serene and tranquil spirit of the region.

Dainkund is the highest point of the tourist town of Dalhousie. Nestled in serene valleys, the Dainkund peak is an ideal tourist destination for nature lovers and for those seeking moments of tranquillity. A temple of Pohlani Mata is also situated nearby. On the opposite side of the hill is the Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary.

Five tourists from Uttar Pradesh were on Tuesday morning rescued from a rivulet in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.

The incident occurred at Banair Khud when the tourists ventured into the water for a bath.

Suddenly, the water level surged and they were trapped in the middle of the flow.

Police, home gaurd jawans staff from fire department successfully effort rescued all the tourists.

They had arrived at Banair Khud around 9 am when the sudden rise in the water level, due to overnight rainfall, created a life-threatening situation.

Local residents also played a crucial role in the rescue operation, ensuring everyone was brought to safety.

The Himachal government has been consistently advising both locals and tourists to avoid rivers, streams and landslide-prone areas, especially during the rainy season. However, many tourists continue to ignore these warnings, venturing into hazardous areas and risking their lives.

The recent incident in Kangra reminds the tragic drowning in Lonavala on Sunday, in which five persons, including four from a family and three children, drowned in a waterfall behind the Bhushi Dam.

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla today said that there were no differences between the state government and the Raj Bhawan and the misunderstanding between the two has been cleared. The issue has been clarified by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

“One of the ministers, due to some communication gap, had said that the file regarding a Bill has been pending with the Raj Bhawan. However, the Chief Minister has now clarified the position and said that the file has been lying with the state government,” said Shukla while taking to the media in Solan today.

It may be recalled that Shukla, while addressing a press conference, had expressed his displeasure over the manner in which Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar had been accusing Raj Bhawan of delaying communication on a file pertaining to passing of the Bill for the appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the Palampur Agriculture University.

Shukla said the Chief Minister has admitted that the communication from the Raj Bhawan has been lying with Secretary (Law) for the last three to four months and the Raj Bhawan is not at fault in any way. He said the statement by the Chief Minister has clarified the situation.

The Governor also expressed concern at the alarming drug addiction in Himachal. “We all need to join hands to fight against the menace of drug addiction. We need to work in this direction to ensure that Himachal does not follow its neighbouring states, which are afflicted with drug addiction among youth,” he said. This is a problem which the society needs to fight collectively and there is need to create awareness among the public before it is too late.

“Two days back only I had talks with the chief minister and told him that the administration must be on alert regarding the monsoons. It appears he has already held meetings with officials so that there is better preparedness to tackle any eventuality,” he said.

Faced with a high debt stress of over Rs 80,000 crore, Himachal has urged the 16th Finance Commission to grant liberal funds in view of the mounting pension liability of the state government due to the retirement of a large number of employees every year.

The expenditure on salary, pension and interest payment was 46.33 per cent of the total expenditure of the state government in 2023-24. The number of pensioners in the state at present is 189,466, which is expected to rise to 2,38,827 in 2030-31. This will result in an annual pension burden of around Rs 20,000 crore.

The annual salary and pension bill of the cash-strapped Himachal Government has mounted to Rs 26,722 crore amidst a grave financial crisis looming large in view of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) allocation from the Central Government coming to an end.

The restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS), one of the election guarantees of the Congress to employees, will aggravate the financial crisis in the coming years. “The salary continues to be the largest expenditure component at 25.13 per cent of the total expenditure of the state in 2024-25,” reads the memorandum submitted to the 16th Finance Commission, which visited the state early this week.

Interestingly, 60 per cent of the salary burden of the government employees is of the Health and Education departments. Though a few regular appointments are being made in the government sector, due to the retirement of a large number of employees, the pension burden has been on the rise. The main reasons for this has been the grant of enhanced retirement benefits, as per the Pay Commission recommendations, release of dearness allowance (DA) and increasing life expectancy.

The employees’ ratio to the total population in Himachal is amongst the highest in the country while the state has a few revenue generating sources. At present, there are 2,42,877 state government employees and Rs 9,000 crore arrears are yet to be paid to them.

The financial health of the state becomes even more worrisome as the GST allocation to the state will end this year. The state will find it exceedingly difficult to foot the Rs 26,722 crore salary and pension bill as the Central GST allocation, which was Rs 1,293 crore in 2022-23, is going to end. The state government has tried to justify the hefty salary burden of its employees by stating that a huge investment has been made in the health and education sectors and major reforms have been taken to ensure quality services.

Rain lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.

An ‘orange’ alert was issued for heavy downpour and thunderstorm in the state from June 30 to July 2, the meteorological centre here said.

Dharampur received 62.4 mm of rain followed by 52.4 mm in Dharamsala, Kasauli 39 mm, Jubbarhatti 33.6 mm, Baijnath 20 mm, Tissa 17 mm, Sainj 13 mm, Shimla 11.2 mm, Solan 10.2 mm and Chopal 10 mm, the MeT centre said.

Three roads in Kangra, Kullu and Kinnaur districts were closed for traffic. 76 transformers have been disrupted in the state, according to the data provided by the state emergency operation centre.

The MeT centre has also cautioned of damage to plantation, horticulture and standing crops and damage to vulnerable structures, kutcha houses and huts due to strong winds and rain.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government was set to launch the Himachal Pradesh Early Childhood Care and Education Tutor Scheme for the overall growth of children between three and six years of age.

Recruitment of teachers to be done soon

The state government will engage early childhood care and education tutors for all 6,297 government primary schools, while adhering to the NCTE norms and regulations
The decision is in line with the National Education Policy, 2020, which recommends comprehensive early childhood care and education

The recruitment process for teachers will commence soon so as to avoid any disturbance in studies due to the shortage of faculty members in schools, said the Chief Minister

He said that at present, the government was running 6,297 pre-primary schools catering to around 60,000 children under the umbrella of primary schools and 2,377 anganwaris were also co-located with these primary schools.

Sukhu said, “In alignment with the National Education Policy, 2020, which recommends comprehensive early childhood care and education (ECCE), the Education Department will implement a combination of all four ECCE models. These models include standalone anganwaris co-located with primary schools, pre-primary schools covering children at least aged five or six years co-located with the existing primary schools and standalone pre-primary schools.”

He said that the government would engage ECCE tutors for all 6,297 government primary schools, while adhering to the NCTE norms. “This initiative highlights the government’s commitment to providing quality early childhood education and ensuring holistic development and nurturing young minds in Himachal,” he added.

The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to improve educational accessibility by ensuring quality education closer to students’ homes. He emphasised ongoing efforts to introduce innovative schemes in the education sector, including the upcoming recruitment of teachers.

Sukhu said that the recruitment process would commence soon so as to avoid any disturbance in studies due to the shortage of teachers in schools. Besides, the government was also setting up Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools in all Assembly constituencies, he added.

Heavy rains lashed Shimla and surrounding areas on Friday and the MeT department issued an ‘orange warning’ indicating “very heavy rain”, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in seven of the 12 districts in the state over the weekend.

The MeT also issued a ‘yellow warning’ of heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places on Monday and Tuesday and predicted a wet spell in the state till next Thursday. Delayed by five days, the southwest monsoon had hit several parts of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday.

It issued an orange warning for the Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts on Saturday and Sunday.

Earlier on Friday, debris from drains littered the roads at several places in Shimla and three vehicles parked near a drain were buried in the muck on the Malyana Surala road. No casualty was reported, officials said.

Two roads including one each in Kangra and Kullu districts — have been blocked for vehicular traffic following rains as per the state emergency operation centre.

State capital Shimla and surrounding areas received heavy rains and Jubbarhatti in the suburbs received 170 mm of rain in the past 24 hours while Shimla received 93 mm of rain.

Gohar received 42 mm of rain, Mashobra 39.5 mm, Slapper 34.6 mm, Kufri and Shilaroo 24.2 mm, Sarahan and Berthin 22 mm each, Ghagas 18.8 mm, Karsog 18.2 mm, Kahu 16 mm, Pandoh 12 mm and solan 10 mm as per the data released by the MeT.

The MeT has cautioned of damage to plantation, horticulture and standing crops, partial damage to vulnerable structures, minor damage to kutcha houses and huts due to strong winds and rain, disruption in traffic and water logging in low-lying areas.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that reports of damage have also poured in from Nerva near Chopal in Shimla district. “I request the people of the state to stay away from rivers and drains as the level of water rises following cloud bursts which could prove fatal and people should take precautions.”

He further said the state government is fully prepared to deal with any eventuality arising from monsoon.

“All the field staff have been told to stay active and I am also taking stock of the situation,” he added.

Meanwhile, the state Public Works minister Vikramaditya Singh who met the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday had requested him to release Rs 150 crore already announced by him for repairing PWD roads connecting the national highways given the ensuing monsoon season.

Bhuntar in Kullu district was the hottest during the day, recording a high of 37 degrees Celsius while Kukumseri in Tribal Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest at night recording a low of 8.1 degrees Celsius.

A female tourist from Haryana was washed away after she slipped in the gushing waters of the Parvati river while taking photographs near the riverbed near Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, police on Thursday said.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the couple—Ajay and his wife Kavita—from Jhajjar in Haryana were taking photographs along the Parvati river around 6:30 pm, an eyewitness said.

The body of the deceased was recovered on Thursday.

Kavita slipped on the slippery stones on the riverbank and fell into the fast-flowing Parvati river. She was carried away by the strong currents despite rescue attempts.

The body of Kavita (31) was recovered during the rescue operation near Suma Ropa, about 4 km from the spot where she fell, police said.

The deceased’s husband identified her body, they said.

This is the third incident of tourists being drowned while clicking photographs in Kullu district in the past one month.

Earlier on June 3, two women tourists belonging to the same family were drowned in the Beas river near Manali as they slipped into the river while taking photographs.

In spite of various sign boards set up by the administration discouraging people from going to nearby rivers, the tourists are endangering their lives by taking selfies/photos near river banks, said officials.

The mastermind in the Bilaspur firing case, who is the elder son of former Congress MLA from Bilaspur Assembly constituency Bamber Thakur, was arrested on Thursday, police said.

Puranjan Thakur alias Golu was evading arrest and had applied for anticipatory bail in the court which directed him to surrender before considering his bail application. He was arrested before he could surrender in the Bilaspur court.

On June 20, two persons came in a motorbike and one of them opened fire on an undertrial Saurabh Patyal.

Patyal is one of the 13 accused who are currently facing a trial over an alleged attack on Puranjan’s father Bamber Thakur on February 23.

The 34-year-old shooter, Sunny Gill, a native of Ludhiana in Punjab, was arrested the same day. His accomplice Anmol Sharma alias Gaurav Nadda, who had managed to flee, was arrested later. It was Sharma who harboured Gill at his home before the attack.

Police investigation had revealed that the shooter for the court attack was hired by Puranjan Thakur, apparently to avenge an attack on his father. The call detail record from the mobile of the accused Gill further confirmed that Puranjan Thakur was in contact with Gill.

Puranjan Thakur had promised Gill Rs 5 lakh and a job for the killing, the police said. The shooter had fired two bullets in broad daylight and one bullet pierced into the back of Patyal who was immediately rushed to the hospital.

A case under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and section 25 of the Arms Act was registered by the police. So far the police have arrested three out of four accused while Sandy, who introduced Gill to Puranjan Thakur, is still absconding.

In a statement, Bamber Thakur claimed his son was being falsely implicated due to an old rivalry with a senior IPS officer.

On June 22, the state unit of the BJP had taken out a massive rally in Bilaspur against the firing incident and accused the Congress government of protecting the guilty and allegedly sheltering the mafia.

The meteorological office on Wednesday issued an “orange warning” of heavy rain, thunderstorms with lightning and gusty wind (40-50 kmph) in several isolated places.

Conditions are likely to become favourable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon in Himachal Pradesh during the next 3- 4 days, the Met said.

An orange warning has been issued in Mandi, Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts on June 29 and 30, the MeT office said.

It also issued a yellow warning of heavy rain, thunderstorms with lighting and Gusty wind (40-50 kmph) at isolated places in Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Una and Kullu districts from June 28 to 30.

he MeT cautioned of damage to plantation, horticulture and standing crops, partial damage to vulnerable structures, minor damage to kutcha houses and huts due to strong winds and rain, disruption in traffic and water logging in low-lying areas.

The residents of Jayawala village in Solan Districts are on tenterhooks as a landslide caused by rains has endangered their houses and agricultural land.

The houses in the danger zone have been identified and directions have been issued to move people living near the rivers and in endangered houses, said Deputy Commissioner Solan Manmohan Sharma who held several meetings with various departments regarding monsoon preparedness.

Meanwhile, intermittent rains lashed some parts of the state, Kotkhai received 17.1 mm of rain, followed by Narkanda 13.5 mm, Jatton Barrage 10.8 mm, Nadaun 7 mm, Sarahan and Sundernagar 6 mm each, Mandi 5 mm, Rohru 4 mm, Shillaro 3 mm and Kangra 2 mm.

Una was hottest during the day, recording a high of 39.2 degrees Celsius while Kukumseri in Tribal Lahaul and Spiti was coldest at night with a low of 8 degrees Celsius.

The price of exotic morel mushrooms, known as ‘Guchhi’ in the region, has witnessed a huge drop of over 37 per cent this year.

The price of this Himalayan treasure was approximately Rs 8,000 per kg in April, but now it is being sold for around Rs 5,000.

Traders say that the cultivation of Guchhi in China has had a large impact and the prices have fallen sharply in the last five years.

37% drop

The price of exotic morel mushrooms, known as ‘Guchhi’ in the region, has witnessed a huge drop of over 37 per cent this year

The morel mushroom is considered to be full of nutrition and is a highly-priced delicacy in five-star hotels across the world.

However, the demand for natural Guchhi from the mountains of Himachal Pradesh has decreased due to it being cultivated in polyhouses of China

Guchhi is exported from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir to China, America, France, Italy and other countries

Amit Sood, a well-known Guchhi wholesaler here, said the prices of morel mushroom have come down to less than a half in the last four-five years. He said, “Before 2020, Guchhi was sold for Rs 10,000 to Rs 13,000 per kg, but these days it is being sold in Kullu for Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,000 per kg.”

He added that a crash in the prices was threatening the existence of the morel mushroom and its volume in the district was decreasing, as people were not taking the painstaking effort to collect these from the forests, due to falling prices.

Kishori Lal, a resident of Sainj village, said this year there has been a bumper availability of Guchhi in the region, but the prices have disappointed people.

Bir Singh Thakur of Phanauti village of Raghupur area, who has been in the Guchhi business for 35 years, said the rates are falling year after year due to Guchhi being cultivated by China in polyhouses.

A mushroom trader, Beli Ram of Til village in Banjar subdivision, said, “China has found an alternative to cultivate this natural mushroom.

China has researched the soil attached to the joints of Guchhi imported from India and has established hundreds of polyhouses for its artificial cultivation.

The country was now producing large quantities of Guchhi due to which prices had slashed here.”

It is worth mentioning that apart from Kullu, Chamba, Mandi, Shimla, Kinnaur and Sirmaur of Himachal Pradesh, Guchhi is found in large quantities in the forests of Uttarakhand. Every year, crores of rupees worth of this Himalayan treasure is traded in these regions.

Guchhi is also exported from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir to China, America, France, Italy and other countries.

This morel mushroom is considered to be full of nutrition and is a highly-priced delicacy in five-star hotels across the world.

It is considered a panacea for heart and other diseases. However, the demand for natural Guchhi from the mountains of Himachal Pradesh has decreased due to it being cultivated in polyhouses of China.

As many as 30 schools affiliated to Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education have recorded zero per cent result in the Class X board examination this year. Besides, the result in 116 schools has been less than 25 per cent.

“We are seeking explanation from the teachers working in these schools for such a poor result,” said Ashish Kohli, Director, Elementary Education.

“If not a single student has been able to clear the Class X board exam from these schools, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.

The explanation will be sought from all schools where the result has been less than 25 per cent,” Kohli added.

The Department of Higher Education is collecting data about the schools where the result in Class XII board examination has been less than 25 per cent.

“We have sought result from the board and from the field as well. We have a provision for action against the teachers concerned, especially in the case of repeated below par result,” said Amarjeet Sharma, Director, Higher Education.

According to Rakesh Kanwar, Secretary, Education, major reasons in some schools for poor results could be the non-availability of teachers for reasons like transfers or retirement, lack of monitoring and the provision of promoting every student up to Class VIII.

“After mandatory promotion up to upper primary classes, some students struggle to cope with the pressure of exams,” said a school teacher. In the case of a transfer or retirement, many a time the new teacher does not join immediately and the students suffer.

However, schools have fared poorly despite having all sanctioned posts of the teachers filled up. For instance, Government High School, Kacheri, in Kumarsain area of district Shimla, has nine teachers but none of the five students appearing in Class X board managed to pass the exam.

“All these students did well in subjects other than mathematics. None of them could clear the mathematics paper,” said Surinder Pal, the school principal.

Seeking explanation, says Director

Result in 116 schools less than 25 per cent
Schools have fared poorly despite having all sanctioned posts of the teachers filled up. Govt High School, Kacheri, in Kumarsain, Shimla, has nine teachers but none of the five students passed exam.
“We are seeking explanation from teachers for poor result,” said Ashish Kohli, Director, Elementary Education.

Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of the newly constructed school building at Government Senior Secondary School, Nandpur built at a cost of Rs 1. 62 cr, he reiterated the state government’s commitment to provide quality education to the students living in the remote areas of the state and enumerated the concrete steps taken in this direction.

He said the Nandpur area was known for high quality apple production and unprecedented efforts were being made to repair the roads in the area with a view to deliver apples to the markets on time.

“All the unpaved roads of Nandpur panchayat and surrounding areas are being metalled, besides new roads are also being constructed so that more and more people have access to the main road,” he said.

Amidst severely deficient rains over north-west India in the pre-monsoon period, the water level in key dams in the region that are crucial for power generation and irrigation has slipped below normal.

The combined storage at dams in Himachal Pradesh at present is 2 per cent below normal, though it was a few notches above normal in the beginning of June. The water level at Punjab’s sole dam is 28 per cent below normal.

The reservoir at Bhakra Dam that lies on the Sutlej in Himachal Pradesh is filled up to 31 per cent of its total capacity, while that at Pong on the Beas, also in Himachal, is filled up to 20 per cent of its capacity.

The average storage at these two dams over the past 10 years was 29 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.

At Thein Dam on the Ravi in Punjab, the current storage is 36 per cent of its total capacity compared to the past 10-year average of 50 per cent, according to the latest weekly report issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC).

Bhakra and Pong have a combined hydro-power generational capacity of about 1800 megawatts (MW) and irrigation potential of 676 thousand hectares.

A third dam in Himachal, Kol, which lies upstream of Bhakra has miniscule storage capacity but has a hydel potential of about 800 MW. Thein can generate about 600 MW and irrigate 348 thousand hectares.

The water inflow at Bhakra Dam is primarily dependent on snow melt in Kinnnaur and Tibet, while that at Pong and Thein is largely dependent on rain received in their catchment areas.

The filling season for the dams is generally from mid-May till the end of September, when snow in the upper reaches of the Himalayas starts to melt and the region also experiences rain.

The inflows peak during the monsoon, which this year is expected to arrive in Himachal, and then in Punjab, after June 25. It has already covered peninsular India and the north-east.

During the month of June so far, the agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana have faced a rain deficit of 74 per cent and 77 per cent, respectively, the hill state of Himachal is short by 57 per cent, according to data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Rainfall in these states was severely deficient in May this year also, with the shortfall being 86 percent in Punjab, 79 per cent in Haryana and 72 per cent in Himachal. Rain is crucial for the agriculture sector.

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur’s remarks that six chief parliamentary secretaries appointed by the Himachal Pradesh government would be removed from their positions amounts to contempt of court as the matter is sub-judice, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Sunday.

Talking to reporters after offering floral tributes to former chief minister late Virbhadra Singh on his birth anniversary at the Congress office here, Sukhu said how could Thakur predict the court verdict, which has been reserved, and added that the court should take notice of such statements.

Thakur and state BJP chief Rajiv Bindal have been saying in their speeches and statements that the six chief parliamentary secretaries (CPS) “illegally” appointed by Sukhu would ultimately go and the government will fall under its own weight.

Twelve Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs had challenged the appointments of the six CPS by claiming that the move negated Article 164(1A) of the Constitution, which restricts the number of ministers to 15 per cent of the strength of the House — 12 in the case of Himachal Pradesh.

Sukhu said nine BJP legislators had shown disrespect to the Assembly Speaker’s chair and tore papers in the House during the budget session. The Speaker had issued notices to the MLAs and they have filed their reply, the chief minister pointed out.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Bindal claimed that Sukhu is aware that the six CPS would be removed from their positions and therefore, is hatching a conspiracy to get the nine BJP MLAs disqualified, which is undemocratic.

Both the BJP and the ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh claimed that they would win the three Assembly bypolls to be held on July 10. These seats fell vacant after the resignation of three independent legislators who had voted for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls held in February and later, joined the saffron party.

A primary schoolteacher has been arrested in the district for offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, police said on Sunday.

The accused was arrested on Saturday following a complaint from four girl students of the school located in the Ladbadol area of Jogindernagar subdivision.

After the complaint was lodged on child helpline number 1098, a police team visited the area, met with the four “victims” and subsequently, the case was registered at the Jogindernagar police station.

The accused was arrested and produced in a court that remanded him in police custody for three days. He would be produced in the court again on Monday, Jogindernagar Station House Officer (SHO) Ashwani Kumar said.

The students have alleged that the accused used to ask girls to show their private parts to him and also show his private parts to them. Of the four “victims”, two are primary school students while two are in Class 6.

During their investigation, police also met with other students and their guardians.

The Jogindernagar unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Janbadi Mahila Samiti has demanded a high-level inquiry in the matter and alleged that such types of crimes are increasing in the hill state.