Shimla, December 13
The winter is shrinking and the overall precipitation during the season, particularly snow, is decreasing at an alarming rate in the “Queen of Hills”, making a White Christmas and a White New Year for which it has been famous, a rarity in recent years.

The disastrous impact of excessive and unregulated construction and indiscriminate felling of trees on the fragile hill environment has been brought out for the first time by a study conducted by scientists of the Meteorological Department. The winter in Shimla, which extended from November to March until the mid-1980s, has shrunk drastically. While climate change in the normal course is a slow process and a minimum period of 30 years has to be studied to draw conclusions, the weather pattern has undergone a sea change in the erstwhile summer capital of India since 1991 with the snow season shrinking at a rate of 11 days per decade.

The decadal average precipitation from December to March has declined from 283.9 mm (1991-92 to 2000-01) to 235.1 mm (2001-02 to 2010-11) and the percentage of snowfall to total precipitation has also come down from 39 to 30. The decadal average of snow has plummeted from 109.4 mm to 68.1 mm. More importantly, the pattern of snowfall is also changing and snowfall has been decreasing in December, January and March and the maximum precipitation is being recorded in February.

The research paper by SC Bhan and Manmohan Singh published in the Journal of Agro-meteorology reveals that the quantum of snow has come down and most of the precipitation was in the form of rain. The total precipitation has declined from 28.3 mm to 25.8 mm in December but snowfall decreased drastically from 9.9 mm to 1.4 mm. Similarly, the precipitation (snow) declined from 85.9 mm to 54.9 ( 49.5 mm to 26.1 mm) in January , from 87.2 mm to 82 mm (8.2 mm to 5.3 mm) in February and from 82.5 mm to 72 .4 mm (8.2 mm to 5.3 mm) in March. The seasonal total precipitation and snow showed a decrease of 90 mm and 57 mm per decade, respectively.

The average beginning of snowfall was found to be January 1 (latest January 20) and the average cessation of the season February 21(latest March 26), which explains why snowfall has been eluding the hill station on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The average number days with snow in the season has come down to 8.2, with a maximum of 3.0 days in February. The highest number 20 days was recorded in the 1994-95 season. The snow season has shrunk as is evident from the fact that the average duration between the first and last snowfall has come down from 58.6 days ( 1991-2000) to 44.4 days (2001-2011).

The two meteorologists conclude that the change in the weather pattern will affect the river flows which in turn have an adverse impact on agriculture and horticulture in the region.

Dharamsala, December 13
The state government will not allow the Congress to gherao the Himachal Assembly complex on December 22 during the winter session starting here on December 18.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Tulsi Ram, gave this information while talking to newspersons today. He was here to review the arrangements for the winter session of the Assembly.

Tulsi Ram said the proposed Congress protest on December 22 would be stopped near Sidhbari, about 3 km from the Assembly complex. A government representative would receive a memorandum from the Congress leaders participating in the protest, he said.

The Speaker said about 300 questions had been received from members of the House till date. They would be taken up during the five-day session.

Many requests had also been received from members for discussion on some issues being faced in the state. A decision regarding a debate on the issues was yet to be taken, he said.

Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, RS Gutpa, who was also present at the meeting, said last year some members of the House had expressed reservations regarding the accommodation provided to them during the winter session. This year the members had been given accommodation as per their wishes, he said.

SP Kangra Diljeet Thakur said the area around the Assembly complex at Dharamsala had been divided into seven sectors. Additional forces had been requisitioned from adjoining districts for providing adequate security during the Assembly session.

The tradition of holding the winter session here was started in 2005. The Congress government led by Virbhadra Singh got the Assembly complex constructed at Dharamsala to counter criticism he used to face for allegedly ignoring the lower or merged areas of Punjab with Himachal. The Assembly complex and the holding of the winter session at Dharamsala gave symbolic representation to the area as the second capital of the state. However, the construction of the Assembly complex failed to translate into votes for Virbhadra Singh as he lost the next Assembly elections. In Kangra district also the Congress could win in just 12 out of 16 Assembly segments.

Dharamsala, December 13
Anita Sandal, BJP leader from the Jwalamukhi area, who has been named as an accused in the recruitment scam, was today remanded in police custody by the Kangra court. She was arrested by the local police yesterday after her application for bail was rejected by the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Sandal had earlier secured anticipatory bail in the case from a local court till December 12.

Kangra SP Diljeet Thakur said, “We have secured Anita Sandal’s remand to connect the vital missing links in the case.”

He said they were also sending a police team to Guwahati. The team would try to collect evidence regarding fake appointment letters issued to duped youths from the Dehra and Jwalamukhi areas. The accused had allegedly taken certain candidates to Guwahati and got their fake medical tests conducted before issuing them fake appointment letters.

The SP said so far nothing had been recovered from the raids conducted on the residence of Sanjeev Aery, a resident of Una district, who was one of the main accused in the case. Family members of Sanjeev Aery had fled fearing police raids, he said.

He said local conduits in the scam, Anita Sandal and one of her family members, collected money in cash from the candidates. However, further transactions had taken place through banks and the police was trying to collect the record regarding that.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Jaswan Nikhil Rajour has demanded a CBI inquiry into the case. He said youths across the country had been duped in the case. In Kangra district alone, about 400 youths were duped. The accused took money ranging from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 4 lakh from each candidate on the pretext of getting them jobs in the Assam Rifles.

“In many cases, candidates have been telling us that they sold their land to give money to the accused. The candidates have also been alleging that their original certificates are in the custody of the accused,” he said.

Dharamsala, December 13
Following the resignation of certain disgruntled leaders from the Congress in Nagrota Bagwan, party leader from Kangra GS Bali has “managed to poach some former BJP leaders”.

He paraded Kuldeep Dhiman, former president of the Nagrota Municipal Council, Khem Chand, former president of the urban wing of the BJP from Nagrota, Block development committee member Puneet Khosla and former councillor of the BJP Rahul Sharma before mediapersons and announced that they had joined the Congress.

Though Bali evaded queries regarding the Congress leaders who have raised a banner of revolt against him, general secretary of the Nagrota block Congress Mann Singh maintained that the disgruntled leaders had already been ousted from the party.

Though Bali has managed to “damage” the BJP cadre in Nagrota Bagwan, he is facing opposition from Congressmen who are allegedly being supported by a faction led by a senior leader from the Congress. The faction is elated as it has managed to create an awkward situation for in his home constituency for the first time.

Sources said Bali would show his strength during the proposed gherao of the Assembly by the Congress on December 22 during the winter session. He has been made in charge of the protest and the main rally for gheraoing the Vidhan Sabha would start from Nagrota Bagwan, Bali’s Assembly constituency.

Shimla, December 13
With Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandu due to retire in March next year, the search for her successor may begin even earlier as she has already applied for being posted as a Member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Chandigarh bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

With Sandhu, a 1975 batch IAS officer, already looking for post-retirement appointment, bureaucratic circles are rife with speculation about the next officer who would be stepping into her shoes. It is reliably learnt that her file for these appointments is already before the Appointments Central Committee.

Though Sandhu is due to retire on March 31 next year, the posts of Member of the NHRC and CAT are likely to be filed before January 31 and the possibility of her leaving early cannot be ruled out. In that eventuality the state government will have to appoint a new Chief Secretary.

The seniormost IAS officer after Sandhu in the state is S Vijay Kumar who is from the 1976 batch. Though two other senior IAS officers, Sutanu Behuria and Additional Chief Secretary Harinder Hira are also from the same batch of 1976, Vijay Kumar is the seniormost within the batch.

Barring Hira, both the 1976 batch officers are currently on central deputation. While Vijay Kumar is serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Land Records Behuria is serving in the National Disaster Management Authority.

Sources said that with his new posting in the Department of Land Records, Vijay Kumar was keen to return to his parent cadre as Chief Secretary.

As such, it is only Hira and Sudripto Roy, a 1978 officer, who are serving in the state and not on central deputation. With Hira, too, having very little time for her retirement after Sandhu superannuates, it is Roy who will be the seniormost officer serving in the state.

The name of another IAS officer, Ashok Thakur of the 1977 batch, is also doing the rounds. It was only recently that his wife, Sarojini Ganju Thakur, of the same batch retired in April and was made the Chairperson of the newly constituted Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission. Incidentally, their son and daughter-in-law , both of the IAS too, have been assigned the Himachal cadre. 

Shimla, December 13
Five persons were killed in road accidents in different parts of the state in the past 24 hours.

One person was killed and 27 were injured when a private bus met with an accident near Kanlog on the Shimla bypass today.

The deceased has been identified as Lata (36) hailing from Kalkhar village in Sarkaghat tehsil. She was working as a teacher in a government school in the Kothkai area of Shimla district. She sustained serious injuries and died while being taken to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC). The condition of two patients, Lahri Ram and Anupam Mahajan, is stated to be serious.

Chief Minister PK Dhumal has expressed grief over the accident.

Rajeev Bindal, Health Minister, accompanied by Suresh Bhardwaj, local MLA, also visited IGMC to enquire about the well-being of the injured.

Mandi: Three persons were killed and one injured when a private van in which they were travelling rolled down into a 100-foot-deep gorge on the Gohar-Badu road under Gohal police station.

The vehicle was on the way to Kufri Badu.

Those killed in the accident have been identified as Dola Ram, Hem Raj and Shyam Lal, residents of Bharmot village. They died on the spot, while Kaku sustained injuries.

The police has registered a case of negligence in driving under Sections 279, 337 and 304, IPC. Driver killed as van overturns

NURPUR: One person was killed when a speeding Maruti van overturned near Jonta on Tuesday morning.

Sagar Singh, son of Bhagat Singh of Kharot village in Kathua district (J&K), who was driving the vehicle, died on the spot whereas three other occupants escaped unhurt.

The police registered a case under Sections 279 and 304 (A) of the IPC.

Solan, December 13
Lt-Gen Baljeet Singh, Chief of Staff, HQ Western Command, today presented Major Udai Singh Memorial Trophy to Army Public School, Dagshai, on behalf of the GOC-in-C, Western Command, to honour the sacrifice made by their former student in laying down his life while fighting against terrorists.

A special assembly was organised on the occasion where the supreme sacrifice made by school alumnus Udai Singh while fighting against the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on November 29, 2003, was recalled. He was awarded the Shaurya Chakra and the Sena Medal for his act of bravery. The young soldier had passed out of the school in 1992.

Speaking on the occasion, General Singh said Army Public School, Dagshai, was only 25 years old, yet it had made tremendous progress which was apparent from the fact that this school had been rated the eleventh best boarding school in the country.

While recalling the supreme sacrifice made by Major Udai Singh, General Singh said he was a brave soldier who had laid down his life for the sake of his country and his sacrifice would certainly inspire schoolchildren. The General also released a copy of the school bulletin, “The Echo”.

Brig AG Kundalkar, Commandant, 14 GTC, and Chairman of Army Public School, Dagshai, expressed his gratitude for this honour and assured that the school would do everything to uphold the faith reposed in it. The Principal of the school, Vijay Datta, also spoke on the occasion.

Shimla, December 13
The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation will organise a special classical fusion music night at Hotel Holiday Home here on December 17.

Subhash Ghosh, a renowned classical musician and disciple of the legendary Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, will play his musical melodies and harmonies of classical fusion music on his newly invented instrument named by him as swar ragini (a blend of the sitar, the guitar and the sarod).

Designed, fabricated and carved by Ghosh, the swar ragini is made of special wood called tul, which is sourced from Assam and has a classical and western sound and appeal, said Vineet Kumar, Managing Director of the corporation, here today.

Solan, December 13
The first batch of the MBA course at the Waknaghat-based Bahra University has bagged a salary package ranging from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 18 lakh. The entire batch has managed to get placements.

Somesh Jagga, a first-batch student of the university, has been placed in a multinational company as a business analyst at a package of Rs 18 lakh per annum. He has been placed in Bytech Asia Pacific Company, based at Singapore. An elated Somesh Jagga, who was presented before mediapersons by the college management, said, “I had never expected such an attractive starting package. I owe my success to the college management and faculty.”

The chairman of the Rayat Bahra group, Gurvinder Singh, claimed that Somesh Jagga had been offered the highest starting salary for the current academic year in entire north India. Till date, the highest reported package in the region was Rs 9 lakh, offered to a student of Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, he said.

He said besides Somesh, all first-batch MBA students of Bahra University had been placed at packages ranging from Rs 4 lakh per annum to Rs 18 lakh per annum in various prestigious multinational companies.

Sandeep Kaura, Joint Managing Director, Rayat Bahra group, said besides Somesh, eight students of Bahra University had been placed in I-Soft Technologies Ltd, a multinational company based in Bulgaria, at a salary package of Rs 6 lakh.

Nurpur, December 13
Poor mobile network connectivity in this area for the past few days has irked BSNL subscribers, who are experiencing a lot of difficulty in making and receiving phone calls.

They are mainly facing three types of problems: busy network, one-side communication and break in connectivity during conversation. They are facing “talk time” loss when suddenly their communication is lost while talking on the phone. In some border areas of this subdivision, subscribers are getting signals of the neighbouring Punjab area, causing a financial loss to them as they have to bear roaming charges. MC Negi, Deputy General Manager, BSNL, Dharamsala, said poor mobile connectivity in the area had been brought into his notice and he was looking into the problem. He assured that the subscribers would soon get trouble-free mobile network. — OC

Mandi, December 13
The police has arrested Sushma Devi, wife of Magna Ram, a resident of Brur, Dharampur, after his “skeleton”, dumped in two gunny bags, was exhumed from a field there last evening. Magna Ram had gone missing in March 2011 and his remains were identified by his parents Prabha Devi and Joki Ram and verified by the police today.

Though the police has sent the remains for a postmortem to the IGMC, Shimla, the police suspects that his wife “played a role” in the sudden disappearance of Magna Ram as Sushma had deserted his parents and was living at Sarkaghat with her two minor sons.

The police said labourers working in the field stumbled upon the body while doing digging work.

Magna Ram’s mother Prabha Devi had lodged a complaint with the police after her son went missing under mysterious circumstances.

The police suspects that Magna Ram was murdered and his body dumped in the gunny bags in the field. The SP, Mandi, Pupul Dutta, said they had collected forensic evidence and sent the remains for a post-mortem.