Flight operations at the Kangra airport officially resumed on Wednesday after seven days. These were suspended on May 7 following heightened military activity at the India-Pakistan border.

The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation had on Monday directed the reopening of all 32 airports in the western and northern regions of the country, which were closed amid the recent conflict with Pakistan. This decision was made in the light of the ceasefire agreement and easing tensions.

A total of three flights operated from the Kangra Airport today. According to Kangra Airport Director Dhirendra Singh, Indigo and Alliance Air operated flights from Delhi and Shimla to Kangra and back.

An Indigo Airlines flight (IGO768C) arrived from Delhi to Dharamsala (DHM) with 53 passengers on board. On return, 10 passengers flew from Dharamsala to Delhi by flight (IGO7484). Two flights of Alliance Air operated from here.

The flight (LLR823) arrived in Dharamsala from Shimla with four passengers, while the return flight (LLR824) from Dharamsala to Shimla carried eight passengers. The second flight (LLR711) arrived in Dharamsala from Delhi with 33 passengers on board while the return flight (LLR712) to Delhi carried 30 passengers.

In total, 138 passengers travelled on three flights from the Kangra Airport.

“Keeping in view the recent happenings, we have implemented stringent security measures at the airport to ensure the safety of all passengers”, Dhirendra added.

The resumption of flights from the Kangra airport is significant, as it will increase the inflow of tourists from across the country and abroad. Moreover, the headquarters of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile are located here. Hundreds of Tibetans living in other parts of the country and abroad visit this place.

Dhirendra said, “This is a sign of strengthening of regional connectivity as well as the promotion of tourism and business”.

Girls outperformed boys in the CBSE Class X and XII exams, the results of which were declared today.

While the girls secured 98.09 pass percentage in the Class X exam, the boys managed a pass percentage of 96.58.

The overall Class X pass percentage was 97.26 per cent. In the Class XII exam, the gap between the boys and the girls was even wider – while the girls secured a pass percentage of 95.03, the boys managed a pass percentage of 90.77. The overall pass percentage of Class XII was 92.76.

The state recorded higher than the national pass percentage in both Class X and Class XII exams. While the overall national pass percentage of Class X was 93.66, the state recorded 97.26 per cent.

In the Class XII exam, the state recorded an overall pass percentage of 92.76 against 88.39 per cent at the national level.

There are 232 schools affiliated to the CBSE in the state. As many as 11,385 students had appeared in the Class XII examination and 10,561 of them were declared pass.

A total of 17,117 students had appeared in the Class X examination and 16,706 of them cleared it.

While the mercury soaring, hydroelectric power generation in Himachal is being increased to meet the demand of various states, which have evinced interest in purchasing surplus power being generated here.

It has been reliably learnt that many states, including New Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, have made requests for power purchase from Himachal. As power production in the state is higher than it’s own requirement, it will now sell electricity to other states.

Sources in the Energy Department reveal that power supply has touched 500 lakh units per day. Since, the power requirement of Himachal dips during summer months, the state will be in a comfortable position to sell extra power to other states, which have put in demand. Even as hydroelectric power generation is peaking, it is expected that in the coming days, the generation will further go up due to clear warm days.

Himachal will sell the electricity produced at various hydroelectric projects to various states while some will be given supply under the banking system.

Under the banking system, Himachal provides power to states like Punjab during the summer when its own requirement declines and gets electricity back during the winter when the demand increases.

Himachal provides surplus power to other states during the summer when hydroelectric power generation is at its peak due to accelerated melting of glaciers. It is between May and October that there is maximum generation in the power projects in the state.

Besides supplying power to other states, which pay the highest rate per unit, the electricity rates also fluctuate at various times of the day.

The power tariffs are highest during peak hours, while they fluctuate at various times during the day. The surplus power will be sold to other states based on the highest bidder.

Rs 4.04 per unit subsidy for farmers

Electricity will be provided to farmers at the concessional rate of only Rs 1 per unit and a notification has been issued in this regard, says a spokesperson for the state government

The state government is committed to providing electricity to farmers at affordable rates.
The government will provide a subsidy of Rs 4.04 per unit, for which a notification has been issued

The spokesperson says that due to a slight delay in the issuance of the notification, some farmers may have received electricity bills at temporarily increased rates

He assures farmers that any excess amount collected from them will be duly adjusted in future bills

Black bears are giving sleepless nights to the residents of some panchayats in the Kotgarh area of Shimla district.

Besides damaging apple and stone fruits like cherry, plum, almond and apricot, which are grown here on a large scale, bears are keeping the residents on tenterhooks about a possible encounter with them.

“There are a lot of bears in the vicinity of our villages. They come to our orchards to eat fruits. At times, they bring down the entire tree, causing huge losses to fruit growers,” says Rajeev Chauhan, pradhan of Shamathla gram panchayat.

Chauhan says that the villagers have to remain alert all time, especially when there’s fruit on the trees. “Bears come to feed generally late when it’s dark all around. At times, we have to stay in our orchards till midnight bursting crackers to scare them away,” he adds.

Kapoor Jistu, a resident of the panchayat, says that human-bear encounters, though rare, do happen sometime. “About two years ago, a bear attacked a local youth, badly injuring him. The youth had to undergo a big surgery.

Sometime ago, an entire bear family entered a house. Fortunately, there was no one in the house at that time,” he adds.

Chauhan says that bears had started attacking cattle around two years ago. “Bears entered cowsheds and attacked the cattle. Around 10 to 15 cows were badly injured in their attacks, which stopped only after people strengthened their cowsheds,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Range Officer Ajay Kumar says that almost round-the-year availability of different fruits at various altitudes in Kotgarh is the main reason behind the increasing bear population in the area. “Bear likes fruits and they can smell ripe fruits from far away,” he adds.

The Range Officer admits that bears are damaging crops and the Forest Department has set up cages in Dalan gram panchayat.

“Besides, we keep updating panchayat pradhans on the measures people need to take to keep bears away from their orchards. The measures include solar fencing, keeping dogs, etc. A multi-pronged effort will help curb the bear menace,” he adds.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Monday opened the Leh-Manali national highway (NH-3), reconnecting Ladakh to the rest of India via Manali, according to an official statement.

This 475 km artery, crucial for the movement of armed forces and essential supplies to forward areas in Ladakh, was restored to operational status after remaining closed since late November 2024, the BRO said in the statement.

BRO’s dedicated snow clearance teams from Project Himank in Ladakh and Project Deepak in Himachal Pradesh cleared snow walls towering up to 15 feet at some locations at high-altitude passes, including Tanglang La (17,480 feet), Lachung La (16,616 feet), Nakee La (15,547 feet) and Baralacha La (16,340 feet).

The reopening of the NH-3 will provide a vital lifeline for the armed forces and the local population, ensuring the uninterrupted movement of essential supplies and personnel.

As part of the efforts to make Himachal one of the major IT hubs of the country, the government is taking major steps in building a comprehensive drone ecosystem in the state.

Drones have wide applications across sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, and healthcare.

“Encouraging drone technology is vital to achieving the goals of the ‘Green Himachal Vision’,” said a government spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that a significant initiative towards achieving this objective was the planned launch of drone taxi services in this financial year.

“These would support the transportation of agricultural produce and medical supplies to remote regions of the state and would significantly improve the connectivity and service delivery in rural areas,” he said, adding that drone stations would be set up in the districts of Hamirpur, Mandi and Kangra to modernise the agriculture and horticulture practices.

Besides, the spokesperson said the government was focusing on creating employment and self-employment opportunities through drone technology. In the year 2024-25, a total of 243 youth have already received drone-related training through government ITIs across the state.

To further prepare the youth for future opportunities, the state government has introduced cutting-edge courses in artificial intelligence and device science. Rajiv Gandhi Government College in Nagrota Bagwan, Kangra, would now offer degree courses in AI and data science.

Similarly, new technical courses have been approved for other institutions such as civil engineering degree at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Engineering and Technology, Pragatinagar, Shimla, and a diploma in computer science and engineering (AI & Machine learning) at Government Polytechnic Sundernagar, Mandi.

“The required teaching staff would be provided to ensure the successful implementation of these courses,” said the spokesperson.

He further said that the state government was committed to upskill the youth in AI and data science as it had a vast potential and had good future opportunities with better employment and entrepreneurial prospects.

“The government is establishing a dedicated innovation fund of Rs. two crore with an aim to boost the innovation ecosystem, besides supporting young innovators in turning their ideas into reality,” he said.

Apart from this, a digital university of innovation, entrepreneurship, skill and vocational studies would be set up at Ghumarwi in Bilaspur district through public-private partnership and self-financing model. “This university would serve as a centre for nurturing entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking among youth,” he said.

He further said that the government was unlocking new avenues in the field of information and technology through its forward-looking approach.

“It would lay a strong foundation for the empowerment of youth and also pave the way for economic prosperity of the state. These steps would prove fruitful in making Himachal a leading IT hub in the country,” he said.

India should immediately ban import of apples and other goods from Turkey and people should boycott tourism, said All India Congress Committee spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Rathore in a statement here on Sunday.

He said, “When Turkey was hit by a devastating earthquake in 2023, India started ‘Operation Dost’ and provided all possible assistance, including aid, National Disaster Response Force and sent drones to rescue the trapped people.

We even modified Kisan drones to carry medicine and food. However, the ungrateful country stabbed India as drones manufactured by Tehran were a part of Pakistan flock used against India.

Nation comes first and therefore I demand that India should immediately ban import of apple and other goods from Turkey,” he said in a video statement. He added that people should also stop going to Turkey.

Meanwhile, Fruit Vegetable Flower Growers Association president Harish Chauhan shared the sentiment and said, “Turkey is supporting Pakistan against India and we urge the Indian government to completely and permanently ban all import and export from Turkey — which is a leading exporter of apples to India.”

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed all the DCs and SPs to stay vigilant in view of the latest cross-border tension escalating between India and Pakistan.

While presiding over a high-level meeting here today, the CM took feedback from the all DCs and SPs regarding the prevailing condition in their respective districts. All educational institutions in district Una remained closed today.

“There is no need to panic as such but you all should remain watchful at all levels,” he said. He said government offices will remain operational across the state, including the Chief Minister’s office, office of the Chief Secretary and Control Rooms, with essential staff during the upcoming three holidays.

He directed the district administration of areas located along the inter-state borders to remain extra vigilant and take necessary measures as and when warned by sound of the sirens in case of possible escalation of tension. He directed that all must adhere to the instructions of the Centre and the state government to ensure the safety of people.

He also directed to maintain adequate security around the vital installations, including religious places, airports, dams and bridges. He also instructed regular mock drills in accordance with the advisories of the Union Government. He also assured to extend full support in strengthening the control rooms established across the state.

“We are proud of our bravehearts and action being taken by our armed forces in safeguarding the nation,” he said. He urged the people of the state to rely on the official information and not get swayed by rumours.

People residing in border areas close to Pathankot, especially in Kangra district, have been asked to remain alert and strictly adhere to the blackout directions and other advisory issued by the respective district administration. Directions have been issued to take strict action against hoarding of food and other essential items.

The HRTC has stopped about a dozen bus routes to Pathankot, Jammu and Amritsar as people are not travelling to these parts close to the borders with Pakistan.

In light of increasing water levels in the Beas river and its tributaries, the authorities at Larji Hydro Electric Project (HEP) Kullu, which has an installed capacity of 126 MW, have announced the controlled release of approximately 50 cubic meters per second (cumecs) of water from Larji Dam.

The dam management and the Mandi administration have issued a public advisory urging residents and tourists to stay away from the riverbanks during the next 24 hours.

The precautionary measure is being taken to ensure public safety and prevent any untoward incidents due to the sudden rise in water levels.

Officials have reiterated that such releases are standard operational procedures during high inflow conditions and are necessary for regulating dam safety and downstream flow.

Warning signage and public announcements have been arranged in the affected areas, particularly in locations frequented by tourists and locals near the Beas river.

The administration has appealed to the public to strictly follow the advisory and avoid venturing near the riverbanks for fishing, bathing or other activities. The authorities have requested cooperation from public to ensure safety and minimise risk.

A blackout will be observed in the border areas of Solan district, including Parwanoo, Baddi and Nalagarh tehsils, on Friday night from 8 pm to 6 am. The directive was issued by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Solan Manmohan Sharma.

The DC has urged all traders in these areas to close their shops at 8 pm and instructed the concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to ensure compliance with the blackout orders in the panchayats under their jurisdiction.

The SDMs have also been asked to request industrialists not to assign employees to night shifts during this period.

Additionally, the SDM of Kasauli has been asked to coordinate closely with the Army.

The Deputy Commissioner said that depending on the evolving situation, blackout orders may be executed to other areas of the district. He appealed to citizens to cooperate.

A batch of 49 Junior Engineers from Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam is currently undergoing a transformative five-day residential training programme, which is aimed at cultivating a disciplined and health-conscious lifestyle.

The programme is being held at Antarnirman Complex of Yog Manav Vikas Trust (YMVT), Banikhet, in Chamba.

YMVT chairperson Kiran Dodeja said the group included 12 young women, with all participants under the age of 30.

Having completed their technical induction training, the engineers focused on understanding the holistic aspects of health, wellness and personal discipline.

The programme covers both theoretical and practical components. The participants are being introduced to human anatomy, mental and intellectual functioning, and the integration of daily activities as a form of healing rather than stress-inducing routines.

The training emphasises the science behind a healthy lifestyle, encouraging the engineers to reframe daily chores as therapeutic acts.

Each day begins in the ‘brahma muhurat’ with yoga, asana and pranayama sessions, followed by meditation in the largest dome in Himachal Pradesh.

Lectures and activities focus on lifestyle diseases and their prevention, the benefits of Ayurvedic living, the importance of pranas (life energies) and maintaining digestive health through mindful eating.

Only ‘satvik’ food is served during the programme, and packaged items, sugary drinks and processed foods are strictly avoided.

Dodeja said stress management techniques, purification of ‘nadis’ (energy channels), cardiovascular exercises and daily aerobic walks were also part of the rigorous schedule. The training programme also included visits to the tourist and religious places.

The engineers expressed immense satisfaction and a renewed sense of purpose after participating in the crash course.

They also pledged to adopt these lifestyle practices in their daily lives, with the aim of enhancing personal well-being and contributing more effectively to their organisation and the nation.

The Himachal Government has decided to convert part-time Class IV workers, who have completed seven years of continuous service as on March 31, 2025, into daily wagers in various departments.

The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here today.

The Cabinet is likely to meet tomorrow again and can deliberate on issues like the enhancement of the retirement age of employees from 58 years to 59 years along other the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-committee on Resource Mobilisation.

The Cabinet approved the shifting of the office of the wildlife wing of the Forest Department to Dharamsala.

This is the second big office after that of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), which is being shifted from Shimla to Dharamsala.

The Cabinet also approved the shifting of the district jail from Mandi to the newly constructed building at Ner Chowk. The existing district jail premises in Mandi will be converted into an open jail for women inmates.

It gave approval to the Himachal Pradesh Online Filing and Processing of Court Cases Rules, 2025, under the Revenue Department.

These rules would allow revenue courts to receive and process applications, appeals, revisions, reviews and other petitions online.

The Cabinet gave nod to the preparation of development plans for Special Areas of Chintpurni in Una district and Sarahan in Shimla district and the Bhota planning area in Hamirpur district to regulate unplanned growth of rural settlements and unchecked commercial development along the national highway.

The Cabinet approved new guidelines for the requisition of vacancies, the selection process and the issuance of appointment offers in various government departments.

It decided to constitute a Cabinet sub- committee to look into these aspects for future appointments.

It also sanctioned the allotment of 350 new stage carriage routes in the state as well as extra routes based on local demand, for the operation of 18-seater tempo travellers by private operators, to enhance public transport services.

The Cabinet approved the filling of 81 posts of Medical Officer, including 68 posts of Casualty Medical Officer and 13 posts in various other categories. It also sanctioned the recruitment of 18 qualified professionals in the Department of Forensic Services.

The Cabinet approved the construction of a commercial complex comprising two highrise buildings of 14 and 17 storeys at Chotta Shimla in the state capital to meet the growing administrative and commercial needs.

It also designated the Jal Shakti Department as the service provider on behalf of panchayats for the execution and maintenance of drinking water supply schemes under the 15th Finance Commission.

The Cabinet approved the transfer of 21 bighas at Changar Palasiyan in favour of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the expansion of AIIMS-Bilaspur, free of cost.

It also sanctioned the transfer of 52 bighas at Sarol in Chamba district to the Department of School Education and Literacy, Union Ministry of Education, for the functioning of a Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.

The rapidly expanding real estate sector in the Dharampur and Kumarhatti region has become a hotbed of rule violations—ranging from selling flats on notarised lease deeds with no legal validity to unauthorised borewell digging and power theft.

In a recent crackdown, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) imposed a penalty of Rs 4 lakh on a builder in Gadiana village near Dharampur for drawing electricity through a temporary connection meant solely for construction work. The builder had constructed 12 flats without availing a permanent connection, continuing the irregularity for nearly two years.

“The builder has also been directed to install a transformer. A penalty of Rs 4 lakh has been imposed,” confirmed Vikas Gupta, Executive Engineer, HPSEBL, Parwanoo.

In another case at Kheel Jhasli near Kumarhatti, a builder was found using a domestic electricity connection to power a borewell supplying water to multiple flats—an illegal act under the Electricity Act. Following a complaint by a local resident, HPSEBL officials investigated and reclassified the consumer category from domestic to commercial.

“Our inquiry revealed that 150 units of electricity were used over the year. A penalty at the commercial rate of Rs 5.50 per unit has been levied—calculated at double the units consumed as per provisions of the Electricity Act,” added Gupta.

HPSEBL officials admit they face significant challenges in identifying such violations due to a shortage of field staff and lack of coordination with revenue authorities. Often, they become aware of such irregularities only after receiving complaints from vigilant locals.

With hundreds of flats constructed along the Kumarhatti, Kheel Jhasli and Dharampur-Kanda Road, residents believe many more violations remain undetected. Apart from causing major losses to the state exchequer, these practices also mislead unsuspecting buyers, who often find themselves entangled in long-drawn legal disputes.

“A large number of such cases are pending in courts at Kasauli and Solan, where duped buyers wait for justice for years,” noted a lawyer practicing at the Kasauli court.

The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) is looking for buildings in Dharamsala and other parts of Kangra to shift its head office in the district.

The decision to shift the head office of the HPTDC from Shimla to Kangra was taken in the recent meeting of the corporation board headed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Sources said that the HPTDC authorities are considering housing the HPTDC head office in its Hotel Kunal or Hotel Kashmir House located in Dharamsala.

Hotel Kunal is located in heart of Dharamsala city. However, building of the hotel would have to be remodelled to house the head office of the HPTDC.

The Kashmir House Hotel is on Khara Danda road leading from Kotwali market to McLeodganj.

The Kashmir House hotel at one time used to house the office of former CM Virbhadra Singh during his winter sojourn to Dharamsala.

Besides, a building brought up with the assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Rajoana area of Kangra district was also under consideration for housing the head office of the HPTDC.

Chairman of the HPTDC RS Bali, when asked, admitted that the said buildings were under consideration for shifting the head office of the corporation to Kangra.

He said the government might take two months to shift the head office of the HPTDC to Kangra as logistic arrangements have to be made for housing the offices of about 300 employees of corporation who would be moved from Shimla to Kangra.

Bali said that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had resolved to make Kangra as tourism capital of the state.

The shifting of head office of the HPTDC from Shimla to Kangra was part of that move. The HPTDC office was the second biggest office to be moved from Shimla to Kangra after the Himachal Pradesh School Education Board was shifted from Shimla to Kangra in late 1970s.

Moving the head office of the HPTDC from Shimla to Kangra was the first big move of the present Congress government aimed at pleasing the people of Kangra.

Kangra, which was earlier part of Punjab and now is the biggest district of the state, was merged with hill states to form Himachal.

Since inclusion of Kangra into Himachal many protests have been staged in the area alleging discrimination with the area vis-à-vis upper areas of the state, especially Shimla.

Former CM of Shimla and senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar and former Congress minister Vijai Singh Mankotia had been at the forefront in the movements of the alleged discrimination with Kangra and demand of winter capital status for the district.

To counter these charges of discrimination, former Congress Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had started the winter sojourn move to Kangra and also brought the Assembly complex in Kangra that now hosts the winter session of the Himachal Assembly.

Besides shifting the head office of the HPTDC from Shimla to Kangra, talks are also going on to shift the head office of wildlife wing of the Forest Department from Shimla to Kangra.

HPTDC Chairman RS Bali admitted that the said buildings were under consideration for shifting to Kangra. The government might take two months to shift the head office of the HPTDC to Kangra.

Bali said that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had resolved to make Kangra the tourism capital of the state. Hotel Kunal and Kashmir House in Dharamsala were under consideration.