Vignettes
No longer strollers’ paradise
As Shimla’s walking paths get disturbingly deserted, a nature walk through the deodar forests from Bangapani to Tungesh refreshes
People are gradually forgetting the adage ‘I have two doctors, my left leg and my right.’ They prefer to ride and develop lifestyle diseases than to walk. Even the three rounds of Shimla — Summerhill or Rhododendron, Bharari or Himalayan Oak, Jakhu or Cedar — that the British developed for walking witness the whiz of the two and four wheelers. Foot passengers, in these rounds, are a rarity.
The Kali Ma temple

A reason to cheer
Forest dept to revive cheer pheasant breeding project
The forest department’s decision to revive conservation breeding of the endangered cheer pheasant has spread cheer among wildlife enthusiasts.

The sun shines down
Back to his roots, Sun Jay Veer Saagar is doing what he loves the most
Rather than playing second fiddle to much less talented artistes in Bollywood, Sun Jay Veer Saagar would rather promote acting and film making in his home state which has given stars like Anupam Kher, Preity Zinta and the latest debutant, Kangana Ranaut, to the tinsel world.

shimla Diary
On the lookout for new wards
With the date of the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) elections being fixed on May 23, a large number of aspirants, who have been dislodged due to the reservation of seats for women and scheduled caste in rotation, are looking for new wards from where they can seek the party ticket.

                                The MC building

IT is the education
The latest buzz-word in government-run schools is the Information Technology (IT) literates’. The government has launched computer literacy programme in 282 elementary schools and 567 senior secondary schools (SSS) to churn out its “first generation of computer literates or computer-savvy generation of government-run schools” in the state. But “computer bug” still has to bite a lot more in the state as many schools lack both IT teachers and computers.

A tragic love story
This is a love story with a tragic ending. A tombstone on the grave of a British officer’s wife is now in ruins, thanks to the apathy of the local administration and superstition of the people.

Farmers’ own
Farmers’ markets in the state have proved beneficial for both the farmers and the people who likes to buy fresh produce. Farmers get to bypass the middlemen and shun the market chains and customers find easily rare varieties of fruits, vegetables and meat products. Under the guidance of researchers, many farmers are growing herbs and vegetables.

Trouble for Kangra SEZ
The proposal to set up a special economic zone (SEZ) in the politically-sensitive Kangra district may run into rough weather with the Union Government’s fresh guidelines minimising the interference of state governments. A Delhi-based company — DS Constructions Limited — had been granted approval in principle to set-up the SEZ on the Pathankot-Delhi national highway, about 20 km from Pathankot.

HP’s reed warbler isn’t extinct
The bird was spotted after 140 years in Kolkata recently
The discovery of a large-billed reed warbler, long-feared extinct, sent ornithologists into euphoria over its ability to survive.

Drug unit starts
The Nalagarh plant of Promed Exports has started commercial productions since last week.