Shimla, November 29
With snowfall in most parts of the tribal districts of Lahaul-Sptiti and Kinnaur since last night, the state is in the grip of a severe cold wave. Most parts of the state were lashed by heavy rain today, resulting in a considerable dip in mercury.

Shimla and surrounding areas, including Kufri, had rainfall, accompanied by a hailstorm and a brief spell of snowfall. Vehicular movement to Lahaul-Spiti via Rohtang was halted as the area received about one foot of snow.

There were reports of about half a foot of snow in Mari and Koksar. As a precautionary measure, the staff at the check posts in Rohtang were not allowing people to cross the pass even on foot.

There are reports that hundreds of people, many of them employees, who were on their way from Kullu to Lahaul-Spiti, were stranded in Rohtang.

There was five inches of snowfall in Keylong. Various parts of Kinnaur district, including Sangla, Chitkul, Lippa and Gyabung, received snow.

The minimum temperature in Shimla was 6.1 degree Celsius, Bhuntar 8.8 degree Celsius, Kalpa 1.5 degree Celsius, Dharamsala 7.6 degree Celsius, Una 1.4 degree Celsius, Mandi 4.9 degree Celsius, Nahan 8.9 degree Celsius, Keylong -0.7 degree Celsius, Palampur 9.5 degree Celsius and Manali 3.6 degree Celsius.

Mandi: The land-locked Lahaul valley was cut off as the 13,050-foot-high Rohtang Pass was closed to traffic. According to Border Roads Organisation (BRO) sources, the pass was blocked following snowfall.

Solang and Dhundi in the uphill of tourist town of Manali, Keylong, the district headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti, recorded three-five cms of snow today, sources revealed. There was snowfall in Barot, Jalori Pass and Prashar Lake, sending chilly winds across the region.

BRO Commander Yogesh Naryyar said, “After the weather is clear, we will clear the snow and restore the Rohtang highway for traffic.”

Manali: There was a fresh spell of snowfall in the upper Manali area and rain in the lower parts of the region on Thursday, resulting in a considerable fall in temperature.

The Manali-Sarchu road, which was to be closed to traffic, remained open due to the dry spell in the region. The ski slopes of the Solang valley also received the season’s first snow.

Traffic on the Manali-Rohtang road was disrupted at several places beyond Kothi, 12 km from here. All tourist vehicles had to be stopped at Kothi.

Hundreds of tourists made a beeline to see the snow. There was a festive atmosphere in Kothi and the Solang valley as tourists enjoyed fresh snowfall.

The snowfall brought cheer to those associated with the tourism industry. They fell that it would boost tourism and usher a long winter in Manali. Farmers and fruit-growers welcomed the snow and rain.

The higher reaches in Kullu, including the Pir Panjal ranges, Marhi, Gulaba, Bhrigu slopes, Hamta Pass, Chanderhkani Pass, Beas Kund, Dhundi and Solang, also received fresh snow.

Kangra: The Kangra valley shivered following snowfall on the Dhauladhar ranges and the foothills since Wednesday night. The valley received rain after a long dry spell.

People preferred to remain indoors on Thursday due to the shivering cold. Schoolchildren were worst affected. The sky was overcast since the morning. There were showers in Dharamsala and McLeodganj.

Tourists in McLeodganj enjoyed the weather and hoped for snowfall. There were reports of rain in Palampur, Malana, Chamunda, Gaggal, Rait, Shahpur and Nagrota Bagwan.

Nurpur: Incessant rain since Wednesday night brought cheer among farmers and fruit-growers in the area. Farmers had been waiting for rainfall to sow rabi crops.

According to agricultural experts, the rain was in time. They said it would benefit those who had sown the wheat crop and would expedite sowing operations.

According to SS Rana, Associate Director, Regional Horticulture Research Centre at Jachh, the rain would improve the quality of citrus crops and plants and reduce the danger of frost in winter.

Shimla, November 29
Sensing that the fire of indiscipline could engulf the party over the poll-related bickering even before the results are out, the Congress high command today issued a stern warning to party men to desist from levelling accusations and take up the same only at the appropriate forum.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and in charge of party affairs in Himachal Chaudhary Birender Singh in a brief but sternly worded dictate today made it clear to one and all that acts of indiscipline and going to the media on party matters would not be tolerated. For the past few days it had virtually been a free-for-all with leaders from both factions running down each other in the media.

“In the recent past, some of the leaders, party office-bearers and workers have indulged in acts of indiscipline by hurling allegations at each other, especially in the media,” the statement issued by Mukesh Agnihotri, MLA and media in charge, on behalf of Birender Singh said.

He added that any act of indiscipline would invite strict disciplinary action.

Complaints have been made by candidates to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, Birender Singh and HPCC chief Virbhadra Singh about undercutting by party men during the Assembly poll.

The number of such complaints from both the factions is over 100 but the party would deal with these only once the poll results are out.

It is bickering that has erupted afresh over poll-related complaints that has led to leaders from the rival factions issuing statements against each other in the media.

The process of hurling allegations began with the expulsion of 28 leaders by the state party chief, which have now been stayed by the AICC general secretary.

Virbhadra loyalists accuse the rival faction, including Kaul Singh, GS Bali, Asha Kumari and Viplove Thakur, of causing damage to loyalists of the former Chief Minister by backing rebels. On the other hand, the rival camp insists that the “Raja” extended full backing to about 12 rebels, which could cost the party dear.

The anti-Virbhadra camp also accuses the former Chief Minister of addressing rallies only in 60 Assembly segments while leaving out eight constituencies.

The allegation is countered by the Virbhadra faction with the plea that he only had this much time at hand as he single-handedly ran the party campaign. They also point out that other stalwarts did not even step out of their segments despite being claimants to chief ministership.

All these issues raised by the two factions are likely to be taken up threadbare after the counting of votes on December 20. In fact, the task of dealing with poll-related complaints has already been assigned to the three-member committee comprising Vidya Stokes, Viplove Thakur and Kuldeep Kumar, all former HPCC chiefs.

Shimla, November 29
The state high court has directed the Principal Secretaries, Health and PWD, to visit Kamla Nehru Hospital to see the feasibility to demolish the 150-year-old building in a phased manner and construct a new hospital building to meet the requirement of patients.

While passing this order, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rajiv Sharma directed the state to file an affidavit in this regard and added the Principal Secretaries of the Health and the PWD as respondents to this petition.

The court had asked for the solution of overcrowding in the hospital.

It was told that the possible solution was to construct a new building in place of the old structure. The old structure was constructed in blocks and therefore, the new building can come up in a phased manner.

This order was passed on a petition filed on the basis of a letter to the Chief Justice.

The petitioner has mentioned that the situation in Kamla Nehru Hospital, the only state-level women hospital, is worse as two to three patients are kept on a single bed. Even two newborns along with their mothers are kept on a single bed.

The state government in reply to the petition said they were making efforts to discharge patients early from the hospital as in cases of normal delivery the patient was discharged after one day and in case of caesarean the patient was discharged after three days.

After considering all the contentions, the court directed the two Principal Secretaries to visit the hospital and submit their report to check the issue and to consider phasing out of the old building in a phased manner and listed the matter for further hearing on March 5, 2013.

Kangra, November 29
At least 38 persons were injured when a private bus rolled down a gorge, over 20 feet deep, at Ladwara on the Pathankot-Mandi highway around 8:30 am today.

The injured included 36 students of Himachal Pradesh Central University here. The bus was on the way to the university when the accident took place.

The driver of the private bus (HP27-0146) lost control over the bus. The bus and and an autorickshaw carrying vegetables rolled down the gorge.

The driver of the autorickshaw, Gujral Singh Dogra (58) of Basnoor, was seriously injured. He was referred to the PGI in Chandigarh. The police said 23 victims were rushed to the DRPGMC in Tanda and the rest to the Shahpur hospital.

Led by Kewal Singh Pathania, Seshi village pradhan, and Surender Thakur, social activist, members of a local youth club and local residents helped pull out the injured from the bus.

Pathania resented the late arrival of the police on the spot and demanded a departmental inquiry into it. The Dharamsala Subdivisional Magistrate reached the spot soon after receiving information about the accident.

Prof Furqan Qamar, Vice-Chancellor of the university, rushed to the DRPGMC and supervised the treatment of the injured. He said four students were kept under observation and those who received minor injuries were discharged.

He said the university authorities would review what went wrong and steps would be taken so that such an incident did not recur in the future. The university authorities had outsourced the transport facility.

Bal Dev of Nagrota Bagwan, driver of the bus, received minor injuries. The police registered a case against him under Sections 279 and 337 of the IPC and started an investigation.

Shimla, November 29
The CPM today expressed resentment over the policy shift by the UPA in providing cash transfers instead of food grains, kerosene,
fertilisers under the public distribution system.

In a statement issued here today, Tikender Panwar, member, state secretariat, CPM, said the shift in policy being termed as “game changer” by the UPA as an anti-poor move, which favours the obsessive commitment of the UPA regime to cut subsidies being given to the working class.

“In a period of high inflation, cash transfers to replace public goods is basically aimed at cutting subsidies since the cash will not cover the increased cost of the subsidised food grains,” he remarked.

Panwar said the CPM was opposed to linking of MNREGA wages to Aadhar cards. “Experts say there is scope of 20 per cent error in the bio-metric identification as finger prints of workers and senior citizens change.

“Pushing through such a Bill without discussion in the Parliament will have far reaching implications for manual workers and this is unacceptable to us,” he said.

Mandi, November 29
Three weeks after the police lodged an FIR against Transport Minister and Dharampur BJP MLA Mahender Thakur and his son Rajat Thakur under unbailable Sections of 341, 353, 34, IPC, in connection with a case of assault on a public servant on the eve of Assembly elections on November 3, the police has failed to arrest the accused so far.

Despite arresting the minister, the police has been dragging its feet from the case that has come as a “morale-dampener” for the police in the state.

“It is another way of hushing up the case as the victim, an ASI at Dharampur, is under pressure to strike a compromise in the case as the minister enjoys clout in political circles,” said insiders.

It was the second case of assault on the police by the minister, said the insiders.

“The first assault was when the minister allegedly slapped the DSP, Sarkaghat, a few years ago, but the case was hushed up under political pressure,” they said.

In the recent case, the police had lodged the FIR at the police station, Sarkaghat, against the father-son duo on the complaint of police post in charge, Dharampur, ASI Sushil Kumar, on November 3.

The ASI was on duty and was allegedly assaulted by the accused in the presence of eyewitnesses, but the police, which was under pressure, had not taken any step in the matter, rued insiders.

Though the BJP and the minister had reportedly termed the police action as a ploy to
implicate them, the police had proceeded with the case initially. But now, it seemed to have given
up as no arrest had been made even after 26 days, they said.

According to the police, during a clash between Congress and BJP workers at Taned on November 3, four BJP workers - Karam Chand, Biri Singh, Sanjay Kumar and Raj Mal - suffered injuries.

The BJP had lodged a complaint that Congress workers were allegedly supplying liquor in
night hours to woo voters, but it turned out to be a mere drama.

The police team under ASI Sushil Kumar was recording the statement of Karam Chand at Taned under Section 154, CrPC, that day and was bringing injured persons to the
local community health centre, Dharampur, for medical examination.

But when the police team along with four ITBP personnel reached Behari, the team did not find any Congress workers present on the spot.

The duo along with their supporters zeroed in at the spot and they almost assaulted Sushil Kumar and deterred him from performing his duties.

However, Mandi Assistant Superintendent of Police Ravinder Jamval, who is the investigating officer in the case, said the
investigation was still in progress as they had yet to record the statements of the ITBP personnel present during the incident.

Bilaspur, November 29
Kripal Parmar, former MP and in charge of the BJP membership campaign in the Hamirpur parliamentary segment, said after the due assessment of all possible prospects of elections there was no doubt now that the BJP would come out with flying colours winning over 40 seats and it would form government again.

Talking to mediapersons after reviewing the membership campaign here with all top leaders of the district, Parmar categorically denied that there was any anti-establishment wave in this elections or any anti-incumbency factor in the state.

He said heavy polling and “more women participation in voting” was a clear indication that this situation had gone in favour of the BJP as women could not be expected to support the Congress, which was neck deep in corruption and was responsible for the unprecedented price rise.

Parmar said 800 active members of the party were being registered in Bilaspur district while target of 8,650 more primary members had been fixed and 80 per cent of this target had been achieved till now. He said after the membership campaign was over, the process for party elections right from the booth level to the state level would begin. — OC

Palampur, November 29
The local Defence Officers Association has expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the town, which has forced local residents not to venture out of their houses.

At its meeting here recently, the association requested the state government to initiate earnest steps to check the rising incidents of theft in the town.

A spokesman of the association told mediapersons here recently that despite repeated complaints, the police had failed to solve the case of theft at Col Chamel Singh’s house, who was robbed of cash and jewellery worth Rs 15 lakh, last week.

He said two houses were ransacked in the Lohana area and goods worth Rs 2 lakh were stolen from the houses of KC Sharma, a retired bank manager, and Manoj Mahajan, a retired HPAU official.

He said it was a matter of concern that no one had been arrested. He added that residents of many localities had stopped venturing out of their houses as thieves could strike there any time.

The association appealed to Kangra Senior Superintendent of Police Daljit Singh Thakur to intervene personally and ensure the arrest of the culprits.

Over 100 incidents of theft were reported at various police stations in the region in the last three months. Twelve vehicles were stolen, but the police had failed to trace the culprits in most of the cases.

A senior police officer said efforts were being made to trace the culprits. He appealed to the public to help the police in the matter as it could not arrest the culprits without their cooperation.

He said the police was facing shortage of manpower in various police stations and that was one the reasons for the deteriorating law and order situation.

Bilaspur, November 29
The police has found the body of a missing youth, Ravi Kumar (25), son of Lekh Ram of Bhagadwaan village under Dadhole panchayat, near Ghumarwin, from the Tikkar nullah near Talwad in the district yesterday. Reports said this youth, who was mentally disturbed, was missing for the past few days.

Some passers-by noticed the body in the nullah and informed the police, which immediately reached the spot.

Some parts of the body were found eaten by wild animals and it was assumed that it was lying there for the past few days, it said. A case has been registered.