A day after the death of a Belgian paraglider, another paraglider from Czech Republic was killed in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali after she crashed into the mountainside on Wednesday, officials said.

Two paragliders have died in two days in Himachal Pradesh ahead of the Paragliding World Cup 2024 commencing on November 2 in Bir-Billing in Himachal’s Kangra district.

The deceased solo paraglider, Dita Misurcova (43), crashed into the mountains near Marhi in Manali. She lost control over the glider due to strong winds, as per preliminary reports.

The paraglider was immediately rushed to a hospital in Manali, where she was declared dead, officials added. An experienced paraglider, Misurcova had been paragliding for the past six years.

On Tuesday, a Belgian paraglider was killed after colliding mid-air with another paraglider in Bir-Billing as his parachute failed to open after the crash.

The Tuesday accident occurred when the two paragliders, who took off separately, collided mid-air leading to the death of Belgian paraglider Feyaret, while the Polish paraglider sustained injuries. Feyarets was a free-flying paraglider in his mid-sixties, officials said.

Ten paragliders were flying simultaneously and two of them crashed with each other mid-air. The Belgium paraglider died as his parachute did not open after the crash, Kangra district’s Deputy Director, Tourism, Vinay Dhiman, told PTI.

The chances of accident increase when the free fliers venture into high-risk zones or inner valleys with little knowledge of the topography and the local wind conditions, he said, adding, “We are in the process of documenting the thermals in the Bir-Billing area with the help of experts to reduce the probability of accidents while flying.”

“A proposal to install special towers in high mountains to pinpoint the crash sites in case of accidents is in the pipeline,” said Avinash Negi, Director of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports in Manali.

A devastating paragliding accident occurred near Billing this evening, claiming the life of Feyarets, a 67-year-old pilot from Belgium.

The seasoned pilot was participating in the upcoming International Paragliding World Cup Championship, scheduled to take place at Bir Billing from November 2 to 10.

Anurag Sharma, president of Bir Billing Paragliding Association (BPA), said the fatal mishap involved a mid-air collision between two paragliders shortly after take-off from Billing. Despite swift response from BPA volunteers and police, Feyarets’ body remains to be retrieved from the dense forest.

This tragic incident raises concerns about the safety and security of pilots and tourists engaging in paragliding activities at Bir Billing. The area’s unique geographical conditions pose significant risks, especially for inexperienced pilots.

In fact, this is not an isolated incident. Earlier in the day, a paraglider got entangled in high-voltage transmission lines near Bir, but fortunately, the pilots managed to land safely. Moreover, the death of three pilots from Russia, Poland, and Lucknow during last year’s Paragliding World Cup Championship has tarnished the sport’s reputation.

To address these concerns, officials from Tourism Department, Baijnath, SDM, and BPA members have held meetings to enforce international standard operating procedures (SOPs) for paragliding. These measures include restricting solo or tandem flights to experienced pilots only.

Anurag Sharma said, “If safety parameters are properly followed by the pilots, the number of mishaps can come down drastically.”

BPA and Tourism Department are working together with other paragliding associations to ensure a safer experience for all participants.

o give a boost to tourism activities, the Himachal government has launched water sports activities, including cruises, shikara rides, houseboats, hi-tech motorboats, jet skis and water scooters in Gobindsagar Lake in Mandi Bharari area of Bilaspur.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated the launch of the water sports activities in Gobind Sagar at Bilaspur on Tuesday.

He said the Bilaspur district administration has been instructed to start the tender process for introducing cruises and shikara rides on the Kol Dam reservoir also.

He said these activities will boost tourism and create ample employment opportunities for the youth. This initiative is expected to benefit local businesses, particularly women and small entrepreneurs, by providing a new marketplace to sell local products, he added.

He said Himachal has numerous water bodies with potential for water sports activities, which are being explored.

Sukhu said part of this ambitious project, a scenic 30 km cruise route, will be developed from Harnoda in Bilaspur district to Tattapani in Shimla district. This route will offer a unique travel experience for tourists, allowing them to enjoy a memorable cruise towards Shimla via Kol Dam, he added.

The residents and commuters held a protest demonstration on Sunday against the failure of the Railways to restore passenger train service on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow gauge railway track in lower Kangra region from Nurpur road to Kangra railway stations.

The service had been suspended on July 9 in the wake of torrential rain that triggered landslide on the railway track at different locations.

Holding placards in support of their demand, the agitators held a protest demonstration under the banner of Nandpur Vikas Sangharsh Samiti (NVSS) near Nandpur railway station (near Nagrota Surian) in Kangra district.

The agitators raised slogans against the Railway Department. Sukhlal Godara, president of samiti, said the railway authorities had conducted successful trial with seven coaches from Nurpur road to Guler railway station last month and people were hopeful that trains would start plying on this track during Navratri but the Railways restored the train service partially in two phases between Kangra and Baijnath (Paprola) railway stations on September 26 and between Kangra and Jogindernagar railway stations from October 18.

He alleged that the slow pace of repair of railway track by removing debris on it at Ranital near Kangra was delaying restoration of train service between Nurpur road and Kangra railway stations.

The agitators submitted an ultimatum to the Railways demanding restoration of train service from Nurpur road to Kangra railway stations within one week otherwise they would block traffic and intensify their protest against the Railways. As per the notifications by Northern Railways, Ferozepur division, two pairs of trains have started operating between Kangra and Jogindernagar railway stations.

The apple season is closing, marked by significant shifts, including the introduction of a “universal carton” for apple packaging.

This one-piece box, replacing the two-piece telescopic carton, limits the fruit weight to 22-24 kg per box, a change aimed at preventing the losses smaller growers often suffered with the old cartons, which could hold up to 34-35 kg.

At the season’s start, the universal carton, a government-backed initiative demanded by most growers, was well-received. However, as prices dropped mid-September to mid-October, some growers resorted to over-packing by lifting the carton’s flaps to increase weight, undermining the original purpose of the standard packaging.

This practice, intended to maintain profits amid price drops, led to mutual finger-pointing between growers, commission agents and buyers. Each group cited different reasons for the overpacking: growers claimed it was at the behest of agents and buyers, while the latter argued growers were doing it to cut costs on packaging and transportation.

Most apples — an estimated 70-80% — are packed at designated facilities, where owners of grading and packaging lines also pushed growers to over-pack, claiming it met market demand. This practice compromised the government’s intention to mandate sales by weight, particularly since no stringent checks were enforced. The government didn’t implement regulations on transportation of apples to mandis outside the state in telescopic cartons, nor did it ensure freight charges based on weight. The government authorities, however, believe that the gradual acceptance of universal cartons across stakeholders is more important than strict enforcement at this stage.

A major issue growers faced was market price volatility. Early in the season, when markets had fewer apples, early sellers saw prices reach Rs 4,000-5,000 per box. But as more fruit, especially from higher altitudes, entered the market around August 25, prices dropped to Rs 2,500-3,000 for premium-quality apples. By mid-September, prices plunged further, ranging between Rs 800-1,600 per box, with only top-quality produce exceeding Rs 1,600. This drop, despite lower production and good quality, frustrated growers, who attributed the slump to market manipulation.

Growers suggest the government should strengthen the role of the HPMC, an agency founded in the 1970s to support apple growers with marketing and post-harvest services. Equipped with cold storage, grading, and packing facilities, the HPMC could stabilise prices by counteracting market exploitation, thus going beyond its current limited role of processing culled apples.

Meanwhile, commission agents and buyers cited the influx of cheaper Iranian apples into Indian markets, often via Afghanistan, along with the beginning of Kashmir’s harvest season, as causes for the price drop. If such factors persist, growers in high-altitude areas—whose apples hit the market in September—could face recurring price challenges. Local growers hope for government intervention to raise import duties or set a higher minimum import price to protect their market against cheaper imported apples, which would enable them to compete more effectively.

Universal carton introduction succeeded in capping fruit weight at 22-24 kg, benefiting small growers
Over-packaging remained a concern, with growers blaming commission agents and buyers
The government failed to enforce weight-based sales and freight charges
Extreme price fluctuations disappointed growers, with prices crashing from Rs 4,000-5,000 to Rs 800-1,600 per box
Growers attribute price crash to market manipulation and cheaper Iranian apple imports

Five men died after the car they were travelling in plunged 200 feet into a ravine in the Chauhar valley of Mandi district, on Saturday night.

According to officials, the victims were returning home to Dharmchan after attending a wedding ceremony in Barot.

Police said the accident occurred late at night, but the wreckage of the Alto car was discovered by local residents in the morning, prompting them to notify the police.

On Sunday, a team of police officials arrived at the scene, retrieved the bodies, and initiated an investigation into the incident.

The Himachal Pradesh government will take up the matter on providing OBC (Other Backward Class) status to the inhabitants of the remote Dodra-Kwar area with the Centre, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has declared.

His assurance came on Saturday during an event in Shimla’s remote Dodra-Kwar subdivision where he released Rs 91.62 lakh to 509 women beneficiaries of the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi scheme.

The scheme provides monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women aged between 18 and 59 years.

The Chief Minister also laid foundation stones and inaugurated projects worth about Rs 12 crore for the region.

He announced Rs 1 crore each for development of five villages of Dodra-Kwar and Rs 4.5 crore for a bailey bridge to connect the region with Uttarakhand.

Sukhu said, “The state government will take up the matter with the central government on providing OBC status to residents of Dodra-Kwar area,” a statement issued here said.

There are five panchayats in the Dodra Kwar subdivision namely Dodra, Kwar, Jhaka, Jiskun and Dhanderwadi with a population of about 8,000 people.

As Dodra-Kwar remains cut off from mid-November to mid-March following snowfall at Chansal, residents here face huge inconvenience during emergencies as patients have to be airlifted or forced to trek several kilometres to reach Uttarakhand and return.

Sukhu said the state government would create a separate Zila Parishad for Dodra-Kwar so that public representatives can better convey the problems of the region to the state government.

The CM launched the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi scheme for Shimla district from the Dodra-Kwar subdivision and released 12 month’s aid to 509 eligible women from April 1.

He released an amount of Rs 91.62 lakh to the beneficiary women and Rs 45.45 lakh as six month’s pension at the rate of Rs 1,500 per month to 505 other women of Dodra-Kwar who are receiving social security pension, a statement issued here said.

The scheme was first launched for women in Lahaul and Spiti district and is being implemented in a phased manner.

Income tax payers, women monks permanently staying in monasteries, family members of employees and pensioners of central and state government and employees of Panchayati Raj institutions, local bodies and public undertakings of state and central governments are not exempted from the Samman Nidhi scheme.

The other excluded categories are contract, outsource, daily wagers, part-time employees, ex-servicemen and their widows, Anganwadi workers and helpers, Asha workers, mid-day meal workers, multi task workers and beneficiaries of social security pension.

During his visit, the chief minister also inaugurated the first ATM kiosk in Kwar, which has been installed by the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank.

He said the cooperative bank has provided loans without any guarantee to 200 women of Dodra-Kwar under the Empowered Women Loan scheme, while there were 29,000 women beneficiaries of this scheme in the state.

Taking a jibe at BJP, Sukhu said that BJP leaders are repeatedly spreading lies on the guarantees of the Congress.

Ever since ‘Operation Lotus’ failed and the seats of the Congress increased from 34 to 40, BJP has been misleading people by spreading misleading propaganda, he claimed.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu will provide the Rs 1,500 monthly grant under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana to women in the remote Dodra-Kwar area of Shimla district tomorrow. He would stay overnight at Kwar and listen to the grievances of people.

The Chief Minister said that the government aimed to go to far-off and remote villages to address the grievances of people on their doorsteps. “Directions have also been issued to all ministers to ensure people in rural areas do not have to visit district headquarters to get their petty grievances resolved,” he added.

Sukhu said that under the ‘Vyavastha Parivartan’ initiative and to make the state self-reliant, the government had decided to head towards villages. “Rural people are innocent and hardworking and face everyday difficulties in a bold manner. The government is committed to going to them and interacting with them to understand their difficulties,” he added.

In Dodra-Kwar, Sukhu would address a gathering of local people and also meet them individually to address their concerns.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu yesterday impressed upon the NITI Aayog to adopt a separate yardstick for the grant of funds to hill states. He also raised the demand for the grant of ‘green bonus” to Himachal Pradesh.

Sukhu met Vice-Chairman of the NITI Aayog Suman Bery and member VK Paul and a panel of experts in New Delhi. He requested the NITI Aayog to study the peculiar needs of Himachal Pradesh and plead its case with the funding agencies and the Finance Commission accordingly. He elaborated the vision of a ‘Green Himachal’ that his government was pursuing.

He said, “Himachal must get ‘green bonus’ for conserving its forest cover, which is vital for the entire country. Himachal acts as the lungs of North India and hence must get ‘green bonus’ for protecting the forest cover and natural resources.” He urged the NITI Aayog to adopt a different yardstick while assessing the financial needs of the hilly states which were different from other states.

The Chief Minister also raised the issue of the grant of royalty in hydroelectric power projects being executed by the central public sector undertakings (CPSUs). He emphasised the need for better air and rail connectivity to the state.

He discussed the challenges the state was facing in terms of natural calamities and rising cancer cases and urged the NITI Aayog for a detailed study of the causes so that remedial measures could be taken.

Bery said that a panel of experts would study the case presented by the state. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sunder Singh Thakur, Chief Minister’s Principal Adviser Ram Subhag Singh and senior officers of the state government attended the meeting.

As pollution levels continue to rise in neighbouring states of Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR), the pristine mountain air of Himachal Pradesh’s capital, Shimla, is attracting a surge of tourists.

Under the clear blue skies, visitors are flocking to the region, drawn by the clean environment, fresh air and the stunning panoramic views of Shimla, the “Queen of the Hills.”

Environmental experts emphasize that the air quality in Himachal Pradesh is notably better than that in many urban areas of North India.

Dr SK Atri, a Scientific Officer and Environmental Expert in the Department of Environment Science and Technology Department of the state government said, “The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Himachal Pradesh is currently under control.

In Shimla, the AQI remains well below the standard limits and is classified as ‘very good.’ This is especially evident in places like Manali, Dharamshala, and Sundar Nagar, though there are some concerns in the industrial regions of the plains.”

Dr Atri further elaborated on the efforts being made to maintain air quality in the state, “The Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board monitors air quality in almost all cities and industrial zones round-the-clock.

Parameters like PM 10 and PM 2.5, which can cause respiratory diseases, are closely observed, ensuring they stay within safe limits.

We also monitor gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen, which remain under control. This comprehensive monitoring helps ensure that the air quality remains beneficial for both residents and tourists,” said Atri.

Highlighting the state government’s proactive measures to maintain the air quality, he added, “Recently, under the orders of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, we have implemented automatic 24-hour air quality monitoring.

New monitoring stations are being set up to continuously assess 15 different air quality parameters. This will enable us to maintain and monitor the environmental quality effectively, ensuring a safe and pleasant experience for all visitors.”

Dara Singh, a tourist from Haryana, shared his experiences and said, “The weather here is very good. There is no pollution here at all. The greenery is great. Back home, pollution is so high that you can see the dirt in the air. Here, it’s peaceful, and the greenery is beautiful.

The air quality is so good that even after wearing the same clothes for a couple of days, they don’t get as dirty as they would back home. I am retired, and I keep visiting this place. The air here is refreshing, and people are very welcoming.”

Dheeraj, another visitor from Chandigarh, spoke about the stark contrast he noticed between Shimla and his home city and said, “Nowadays, pollution has increased a lot in Chandigarh.

But here, I could see the stars at night–something that is no longer possible in Chandigarh. The air is crisp, and the weather is cold. We hadn’t prepared for such a chill, given that it’s still warm in Chandigarh.

The air quality is so good here, and I think everyone should learn from how the locals maintain it. It’s inspiring to see how clean the surroundings are, unlike the litter-strewn streets of other cities. It’s a lesson we should all take back home.”

The influx of tourists is not only a sign of the region’s environmental allure but also a boost to the local economy. Many small businesses, including hotels and restaurants, benefit from the increased footfall during this pre-winter season.

The period from October to January, before the full-fledged winter season sets in, is particularly attractive for visitors seeking a more serene experience away from the bustling crowds that flock to the hills during the peak season.

Dr Atri emphasized the health benefits of Shimla’s clean air, inviting more tourists to visit. “The air in this region acts as a natural health enhancer.

Breathing in this fresh mountain air can be a rejuvenating experience, especially for those escaping the polluted urban centres. Himachal Pradesh welcomes tourists to come and experience this breath of fresh air, which is not just refreshing but also supports the state’s economy.”

As the festive and winter season approaches, the hospitality sector in Shimla is gearing up to welcome more tourists, offering a chance to experience clear skies and clean air–luxuries that have become scarce in many other parts of the country.

With an emphasis on sustainable tourism and the state’s robust efforts in maintaining air quality, Shimla remains a top destination for those seeking a tranquil escape amidst

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for support in developing integrated tourist destinations across the state. The Chief Minister emphasised the need for assistance from the Central government, particularly under special Central assistance schemes.

During a discussion in the national capital on Thursday, Sukhu said the state planned to submit detailed project reports (DPRs) within the next few weeks, highlighting key projects, including a wellness centre-cum-health resort at Dehra in Kangra district, and an integrated tourism complex at Auhar in Bilaspur.

The Chief Minister also noted the state’s initiative to promote water sports, citing the significant potential of the Pong and Bhakra dams to attract tourists. He reaffirmed Himachal Pradesh’s commitment to sustainable tourism development, focusing on enhancing infrastructure and connectivity to cater to high-end tourists. As part of this effort, the state was developing heliports to connect all district headquarters and was expanding the Kangra Airport.

Sukhu also advocated for the construction of golf courses in the state and requested speedy funding for the Pong Dam reservoir, which had been designated as a tourist destination under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme. He also said a revised DPR for the development of the Chintpurni Temple complex under the Prashad Scheme had been submitted to the Central government, seeking prompt funding approval.

Shekhawat assured the CM that he would expedite the approval process for the proposed iconic tourist centres and support Himachal Pradesh’s tourism initiatives, including the timely release of funds.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss vital infrastructure projects. Sukhu sought increased central assistance to enhance the state’s road, bridge, and ropeway networks.

During the meeting, Sukhu presented proposals for four new road projects, emphasising their importance for tourism and overall development in the hilly state. He stressed that roads are the state’s lifelines and suggested tunnelling options to reduce maintenance costs.

Sukhu also requested the review of the Solan-Parwanoo road realignment to address safety concerns, four-laning of remaining sections of the Shimla-Mataur national highway and new detailed project report (DPR) to tackle blind spots and sharp curves.

Gadkari assured full support for Himachal’s infrastructure initiatives.