vignettes
The wrong snow
Seeing shivering children, returning from schools in Shimla, my friend asked me if the early December snow this year was not the wrong snow. I was off my guard to hear the adjective ‘wrong’ for snow.

HERITAGE REVISITED: The rain shelter on the Ridge is in sync with th architectural features of Shimla. — Photo by Anil Dayal

Shimla Diary
Winter sojourn for politicians
The corridors of power in the state secretariat here are already beginning to wear a deserted look with the winter session of the state Assembly beginning at Dharamsala on December 26.

Fighting foeticide with form-F
With sex ratio dipping to 872 in Himachal, the Health Department has a challenging task ahead when it comes to female foeticide. While availability of ultra sound facilities in the clinics, especially in the urban areas, has encouraged this trend, lack of action by the advisory committees in this direction has emboldened them to work with impunity.

History of selling print
It was in 1814 when Britons conquered Subathu’s Gurkha Fort and captured General Amar Singh Thapa here. Vice Regal Lodge was built up here for the then Viceroy as summer capital long before Shimla was discovered by Captain Kennedy. Subathu was the first cantonment of Simla Hills where civilians also migrated from plains of Punjab and UP.
Print product: Bhupender Kumar Chaurasia belongs to the fifth generation of his family selling newspapers

Hospital project hangs fire
The project to set up a model ESI hospital at Baddi has failed to progress due to the delay in allotment of land. Mr Jagdish Bhardwaj, state president of AITUC, has accused that the project could slip from state hand in case the land was not allotted for hospital soon.

Temporary ban on buying Baddi land
Industrial fraternity and buyers of land in Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh areas, can take solace in fact that the chief minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, has indicated towards the lifting of a ban on the sale and purchase of land in the area.

Full support to industry
Mr V.S. Kokje, the Governor, has assured the HP industrialists for full support. While stressing upon the need for planned development in the industrial areas, the Governor has said the problems faced by the industry would be dealt on top priority. He was speaking in the meeting of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry held at Baddi recently. He emphasised on the need to follow the mechanism of integrated development in industrial areas on the pattern of other developed areas.

Mindless hill cutting pose threat to ecology
The industrial boom has started to show its negative signs on Parwanoo the border industrial town of state. The number of units has made beeline to town after the announcement of the industrial package in 2003. However the lack of proper planning on the part of state government right from the existence of town in 1977 to till date has led to unplanned and hap hazardous growth of town.

Kasauli welcomes migratory birds
The year-end in Kasauli is not only attracting tourists but also migratory birds. Seeking respite from the chilly weather of the Himalayas, every year hundreds of birds throng Kasauli – a comparatively warmer destination. The birds, including some rare species, have started to arrive here and will remain till February.