Shimla, February 7
Wintry conditions were revived as a severe storm lashed most parts of the state and the tribal areas and other higher reaches had a fresh spell of snow.According to reports reaching here, the Lahaul valley had received 40 cm of snow by the evening and the snowfall was still continuing.

The district administration had ordered the closure of schools for a day as a precautionary measure as heavy snow could trigger off avalanches.

The minimum temperature in the valley was minus 3.9 degree Celsius and it was bound to plunge further after the weather clears. Tribal Kinnaur district also had a fresh round of snow and Kalpa had recorded 25 cm of snow.

The lower areas had intermittent rain. The Rohtang Pass, Solang Nullah, Chanshal slopes, Dhauladhar ranges, Churdhar and higher reaches of Chamba also had snow. The mid-hill and lower areas were lashed by a storm which brought down the day temperature considerably.

The high-velocity winds accompanied with intermittent light showers uprooted trees and snapped power and telecom lines at several places.

Manali, February 7
A fresh spell of snow and rain in the upper Manali areas threw life out of gear on the second consecutive day today, even as fresh snowfall also disrupted vehicular traffic on the Manali-Rohtang road.

The upper Manali region has been covered with a thick white blanket. The vehicular traffic on the Manali-Rohtang road was disrupted at several points beyond Nehru Kund, about 5 km from here. Due to fresh layer of snow on the road, tourists and local residents had a difficult time in the morning driving their vehicles further to Solang and Kothi.

Hundreds of tourists, who arrived in Manali from the plains, made a beeline for Nehru Kund where there was enough snow. A festive atmosphere was again prevailed in different places between Bahang and Nehru Kund, as they were seen enjoying the fresh snow and having their photo session.

After the fresh snowfall in the upper Manali areas, HRTC also suspended their bus services between Manali-Solang and Kothi.

The entire high reaches in the Kullu valley, including the 13,050 ft high Rohtang Pass, the gateway to Lahaul-Spiti , the Pir Panjal range, Bhrighu slopes, Hamta ski slopes, the Chanderkhani pass, Dhundhi, Marhi, Gulaba and Kothi also had moderate to heavy snow. The ski slopes of the Solang valley also experienced a fresh snowfall.

Due to fresh snowfall in the higher reaches, the cold wave has tightened its grip in the region. Most local residents of the upper Kullu valley remained indoors as the icy wind lashed the areas throughout the day.

However, orchardists and agriculturists of the region have welcomed the snow and rain. They say it is beneficial for the apple crop in the upper region and the standing crops in the lower parts.

Local MLA and parliamentary secretary Satpal Satti also reached the spot and consoled the aggrieved families. The deputy commissioner also ordered an immediate financial grant of Rs 5,000 to the kin of the deceased students.

Hamirpur, February 7
The Hamirpur police has started punching driving licence of traffic rule violators for the first time on the pattern of the advanced countries.

Traffic violators will be booked for dangerous, drunken driving and causing accidents and their licences will be punched for every violation.

After three punching of driving licence, his licence will be suspended and cancelled.

Traffic police personnel and police stations have been provided kits for punching the licences and the record of such violators will be maintained online in the police stations and in the office of superintendent of police.

On the first count of the traffic violation and punching of the licences, the traffic violators will be issued warnings. They will also be made aware about the proviso of the traffic rules and this system.

Similarly, the third-time repetition of traffic violation will cause third punch and it will be the recommended to suspend the licence for three or six months to the Licence Registering Authority.

In case the driver is challaned the next time after three punches, his licence will be cancelled and the driver will not be issued driving licence at all.

Telling about the launching of the licence punching system, SP Hamirpur Kuldeep Sharma said, “Since a large number of drivers die in accidents due to dangerous and drunken driving, we have introduced this system to check, besides starting an awareness campaign.”

“After three punching, the police will recommend cancellation of driving licence under Section 19 to 22 of the Motor Vehicles Act and the police will also book parents of underage drivers under Section 180 of the Act” he added .

The police has already punched licences of about 50 traffic violators in the district till now.

Shimla, February 7
While the declining power market is affecting the state’s revenue from the sale of surplus power, the policy of banking and contra-banking being adopted by HPSEB Limited to meet the winter shortfall is proving counter-productive due to the higher rates during summer.

The state virtually reaped windfall profits by selling its surplus power over the last six years with the revenue from the power sector taking a quantum leap from Rs 29.60 crore in 2003-04 to a whopping Rs 1,255 crore in 2008-09.

However, the situation has changed over the past one year and the average rate of power has declined sharply due to the improved availability in the northern grid and reluctance on the part of state utilities to purchase costly power. The revenue is likely to come down to Rs 1,150 crore in the current year and may not show any appreciable increase in 2011-12 despite more surplus power available for sale.

With more projects slated for completion, the rates likely to plunge further during 2011. While the 192 MW Allain Duhungan project has already started generation,1000 MW Karcham Wangtu, 100 MW Malana, 70 MW Budhil, 231 MW Chamera-III and some other projects will be commissioned over the next few months. The availability of power in summer will be much more as discharge in the river is the maximum.

The data of the Indian Energy Exchange, which provides the real time picture of the power market, shows that the average rates of power in 2010 dwindled by Rs 3.50 to Rs 1.50 per unit as compared to 2009 from April to September when the demand is on the peak. The rates for April came down from Rs 10.79 per unit to 7.75, May from Rs 6.16 to Rs 4.45 per unit, June from Rs 6.43 to Rs 3.50 per unit and so on.

Even, during winter months when demand is low, the decline was significant with rates for October falling from Rs 4.47 to Rs 2.86 per unit, November from Rs 3.53 to Rs 2.96 per unit and December from Rs 2.79 to Rs 2.36 per unit.

The average differential in the rates for summer and winter months ranges from Rs 2 to Rs 3 per unit and as a result, the policy of banking and contra-banking leading to a situation where the board is exchanging inexpensive power with costly power. The banking of 400 million units means a loss of over Rs 100 crore to the state utility which is already reeling under heavy losses.

Hamirpur, February 7
The police arrested five persons after a clash that took place near Government Postgraduate College in which three students were injured today.According to information, an argument over sport coupons caused the clash between supporters of the ABVP and the SFI outside the college.

Three students, who have been injured, are Balvinder Kumar, Prem Singh and Vinod Kumar.

Some students also reportedly indulged in stone pelting on the vehicle taking the arrested students.

ASP Gurdev Chand said, “Five persons, Anil Mankotia, Jasbir Singh, Saroj Kumar, Amit Verma and Lucky, have been arrested under Sections 147,149, 347 and 506 of the IPC on the complaint of Balvinder Kumar.”

Shimla, February 7
Five employee unions of the state secretariat have joined hands and formed a confederation to raise their issues more effectively.The confederation, which held its first meeting under the leadership of its chairman Daulat Chauhan, stressed that the present system of working should not be disturbed to the disadvantage of employees and made it clear that any move to make the posts of section officer and private secretary as selection post would be opposed.

It also urged the administration to take the associations concerned into confidence before amending the recruitment and promotion rules.

The latest house allotment rules, which were against the interest of employees, should be withdrawn and instead of grade pay, basic pay should be the criterion for the class of accommodation.

The secretariat allowance and conveyance allowance should be released at the earliest.

It decided to take up the issue of promotional avenues on top priority and also pursue the matter of construction of another block behind the Ellerslie building, along with car parking facilities, to ease the accommodation issue.

It would also discuss the proposed amendments in the office manual with the authorities and urge the administration to frame guidelines for the smooth functioning of bio-metric machines.

Bilaspur, February 7
The newly formed Himachal Pradesh All-Employees, Pensioners, Unemployed Educated Youths and Labourers Joint Front has demanded Rs 1,000 as unemployment monthly allowance to all 14 lakh unemployed youths of the state and Rs 200 as daily wage to all labourers employed in various sectors in the state.

The state executive committee meeting of the front held here last night, which was claimed to be attended by around 24 leaders from across the state, decided this.

Briefing the mediapersons after the meeting here this morning, its state chairman Gopal Dass Varma, a former state president of the state NGOs Federation accompanied by six retired NGO’s leaders, said other resolutions demanded that all pending arrears of the revised Punjab pay scales be paid in one go to all employees and also benefits of service after 4, 9 and 14 years on the Punjab pattern be released like those were given in lakhs to all officers of the state. The government should end injustice in matter of transfers by formulating a “transfer law” instead of so called “transfer policy,” which is honoured more in breach than observance and all employees and pensioners must get immediate payment of pending medical reimbursement bills since the past two years like those of MLAs, ministers and big officers.

Other resolutions stressed that crores of money should be saved by banning plying of government vehicles from Saturday morning to Monday morning, class XII pass condition for promotion of Class four employees be scrapped, employees of all 26 corporations and boards of the state must be brought under cover of the pension scheme and victimisation of employees leaders be ended immediately.

Shimla, February 7
NABARD has sanctioned Rs 112.35 crore to the state government for implementation of 54 irrigation and road projects.With this, the aggregate sanctions under Tranche-XVI (for 2010-11) of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) during 2010-11 have reached Rs 403.27 crore. The funds have been sanctioned for one major rural water supply project, 21 minor irrigation schemes and 32 road and bridge projects.

A major water scheme will be implemented at a cost of Rs 28.43 crore in Mandi district for augmentation of supply to the Baira, Bhadrota, Suranga and Hatli areas in Sarkaghat tehsil. It will benefit 44,620 people.

The 21 minor projects include five rainwater harvesting projects, six flow irrigation projects, nine lift irrigation projects and one deep tubewell project in Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu and Mandi at a cost of Rs 22.32 crore to bring 1,201.23 hectares of agricultural land under irrigation. The 22 road projects and 10 bridges involve construction of 15 black-topped road of 132.80 km length and 33.765 km of seven kutcha roads. The 10 bridges will have an aggregate span of 448.61 m and cost Rs 72.70 crore.