Himachal Live News

Pictures of Ridge which caved in during recent rains

Himachal Live News — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:24:37 +0000

Shimla: Pictures of the portion of the ridge which recently caved in due to heavy rains in the city.

These pictures were sent to us by Pawan Thakur

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News

Himachal Tourism documents churches and cemeteries in state

Himachal Live News — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:17:15 +0000

Shimla: Himachal Tourism in it’s endeavour to attract more foreign tourists into the state has printed a book listing graves and cemeteries in Himachal Pradesh.

Speaking to the media today, Dr. Arun Kumar, Directory Tourism, said the book, The Churches and Christian Cemeteries of Himachal Pradesh, lists various graves and cemeteries where many Europeans lie buried.

He said the book would be available during the Common wealth games at New Delhi. The book would also be made available in British and embassies of other European countries. Besides, the book will also be available at all Himachal Tourism information centres within and outside the state.

The book mentions details of the oldest cemetery in Shimla near Oak Over, where the burial ground was opened in 1828 and the first grave is dated 1829. The Cart Road cemetery is also mentioned in the book where Major Samuel Boileau Goad was buried. Major Samuel was one of Shimla’s most prominent residents and owned 33 of Shimla’s most valuable properties including Barne’s Court, Kennedy House, the Park and Holly Lodge.

The book also has details of memorials at Nahan, Kasauli, Kangra, Palampur, Mcleodganj, Dalhousie and Chamba besides details of cemeteries at Sanjauli, below St. Bedes, Kanlog, Jutogh, Kotgarh and Subathu etc.

The book also has a mention about a memorial to Penelope Chetwode at Khanag, near Ani in Outer Seraj of Kullu district. Penelope was the daughter of Field Marshal Baron Chedwode who had served as Commander-in-Chief. She remained in love with Himachal hills till her death in 1986 on a trek between Shimla & Kullu over the Jalori Pass.

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News

Trade union strike hits commerce in Himachal

Himachal Live News — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:46:56 +0000

Shimla: Normal life was hit in the state as public sector banks and other commercial establishments remained closed in parts of the state today following a nationwide strike called by trade unions of central government employees to protest price rise, violation of labour laws and privatisation.

Work at many private hotels, banks and government insurance companies including the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) was severely affected as the employees observed a day long strike. Employees of the State Bank of India (SBI), however, did not participate in the strike.

Speaking to Himachal Live, Jagat Ram, state president of CITU said the strike was a success and a complete shutdown could be seen at private hotels, central & state government offices including hydropower projects across the state.

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News

Court refuses extension of bail to army captain caught selling diesel

Himachal Live News — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:32:10 +0000

Shimla: A local court today cancelled the interim anticipatory bail granted to Capt. Vikalp Purohit who was caught red handed by the CBI while selling diesel from the army stock in open market.

District and Sessions Judge B.R. Chandel rejected the plea filed by Indian Army Captain of the General Reserve Engineer Force, a wing of BRO, who was posted at Koksar in Lahaul and Spiti district.

Purohit, who was caught by CBI sleuths Aug 20, was granted interim anticipatory bail by the court Aug 23.

CBI Superintendent of Police R. Upasak told said that Purohit was summoned to the investigating agency’s headquarters after the rejection of his plea for extension of his interim anticipatory bail. He said the CBI was investigating facts about supply of diesel to the BRO and its total consumption. It also summoned all the fuel logbooks of the BRO for verification.

Upasak said the army officer was trapped by two decoy customers, who presented themselves as contractors of the state public works department. They entered into negotiations with him and he was ready to sell 800 litres of diesel to them.

The diesel that Purohit was allegedly trying to sell was meant for the BRO’s Project Deepak which maintains a 222-km stretch between Manali and Sarchu, part of the 475-km Manali-Leh National Highway-21.

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News

Bragta ji all iz not well; No trays at HPMC packing house

NITYIN — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:56:36 +0000

Shimla: Tall claims of the Himachal Horticulture Minister Narender Bragta about nil shortage of trays and packing material in apple belt can be judged if one travels just 75 km from his government office in Shimla.

No work is happening at the HPMC run packing house at Jarol Tikkar near Narkanda as there are no packing trays and crates in the premises. Such is a situation at the packing house that the entire complex is full with the plucked apple crates but these could not be off loaded since there are no trays required for packing.

The ‘newspaper leaders’ from the BJP including the minister should take a note of this situation and before opening up mouth in the media should cross check the facts on ground.

One can very well imagine if such is a condition of the HPMC run establishment what will be the situation in the far flung interior areas.

Other problem being faced by the growers here is that apple dropping has begun as mite has spread in the orchards forcing them to an early plucking but absence of packing material, roads and trucks is increasing their problems manifold.

It would be interesting to note the press statement of Narender Bragta and his cronies prepared from the drawing room tomorrow.

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News

Manimahesh Charri Yatra begins on Wednesday

Himachal Live News — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:13:10 +0000

Chamba: Charri Yatra of Lord Shiva for the Manimahesh pilgirmage in Chamba district in Himachal will start on Wednesday.

Chamba DC Devesh Kumar said that all arrangements has been made and the procession will start from the Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Chamba town.

The month-long annual Manimahesh pilgrimage commenced on August 20 and would conclude on Radhashthmi on September 15 when thousands of devotees would take a dip in the oval-shaped, glacial-fed Manimahesh Lake.

So far, more than 150,000 devotees undertook the pilgrimage to the Manimahesh Lake in the Bharmour Valley from where they can see Mount Kailash, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, and offer prayers.

The state government has already allowed private heli taxi operators to ferry people during the Manimahesh pilgrimage. The choppers ferry devotees between Bharmour town, the base camp of the pilgrimage, and Gauri Kund, just one km short of the lake. The to-and-fro fare per person is Rs.7,500.

It is believed that the devotees can have a view of the Mount Kailash only if the lord is pleased. When the peak is hidden behind clouds, it is a sign of the lord’s unhappiness, as per saying.

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News

Malana villagers beaten up by police protesting against power company

Himachal Live News — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:03:38 +0000

Kullu: It was Malana villagers who faced the wreath of the khakhi when protesting against the company building the 100-megawatt Malana II project in the Parvati valley in Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh.

As per reports the scores were injured and 10 people taken into custody when police resorted to lathi charge at Malana village on Sunday.

The company, EPP Ltd had promised the villagers last year to construct roads, irrigation channels, hospital, drinking water facility but allegedly failed to provide funds for any of these for the past one year. The villagers had been protesting against the company for the past week. 30 people were reported to be injured in the lathi charge.

The incident once again has highlighted the long held suspicion that state government is brutally crushing any opposition to the power companies and is acting against it’s very own people to serve the interests of these companies.

The track record of power companies in the state remains dismissal in providing compensation and facilities to the local people.

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News

Himachal teacher gets national award; donates money to Leh children

Himachal Live News — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:51:54 +0000

Shimla: Dr. Meera Singh, principal, Laureate Public School Shimla was presented the national award by President Pratibha Patil for the year 2009 for her contribution in the field of education.

A citation and cash prize of Rs. 25,000 was presented to Dr. Singh in a function organised at New Delhi today.

Dr. Meera Singh donated the cash prize of Rs. 25,000 in the prime minister’s Relief Fund to create education infrastructure for the flood-affected children of Leh.

At a function in New Delhi 374 teachers from different parts of the country were facilitated with national awards for the year 2009 for their outstanding contribution to the field of education on the occasion of teachers’ day.

Dr. Meera Singh has earlier been awarded prestigious Paul Herris Fellowship, Green Earth Award and Bhartiya Sahitya Samman Award besides other awards and recognition from various government and non-government organisations.

She is also president of the Shimla Amateur Garden and Environment Society for last three years and has been associated with the implementation of the Green Shimla and Clean Shimla Project.

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News

Shimla’s Ridge caves in, Gaiety Theatre under threat.

Himachal Live News — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:06:28 +0000

Shimla: A portion of the historic Ridge in Shimla caved in today following heavy rains in the city.

Subhash Chand, a SDO with the municipal corporation said that around 40 meter of the Ridge in front of the Gaiety Theatre caved in. It is the same portion which had developed cracks last month, he added.

The affected portion has been closed for pedestrians. The caved in portion is now threatening the Gaiety Theatre as the dining room at the Gaiety stands exposed.

Assistant Municipal Corporation KK Sharma said that the entire northern slope of the Ridge has become fragile and prone to landslide as haphazard construction in the Tibetan market is blocking the natural flow of water and resulting in caving of the entire area.

In 2008 major cracks had appeared on the Ridge and a retaining wall had collapsed in which more than 20 shops were buried.

Shimla and surrounding areas have been experiencing heavy rains since past two days and the met office predicted more rains in the next 24 hours.

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News

Virbhadra to file appeal in CD case

Himachal Live News — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:29:43 +0000

Shimla: Putting up a brave front after the dismissal of his petition in the CD case by Himachal Pradesh High Court, Union Steel minister Virbhadra Singh today said he will take an appropriate decision in this matter within two weeks time provided by the court.

He said that all options including filing an appeal in the High Court or Supreme Court or filing a fresh case are open and I will take appropriate decision within two weeks time provided by the court.

The state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau had booked Virbhadra and his wife Pratibha Singh under the Prevention of Corruption Act on August 3, 2009, in the CD case in 1989 when Singh was Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. Singh was accused of criminal misconduct and misusing his official position.

This is a blog post from Himachal Live News