Shimla, January 20
The initial snow euphoria that attracted thousands of tourists to the ‘Queen of Hills’ has not just started fading away, but also has been replaced by anger. Visitors here were in for a rude shock as they had to pay through their nose to hoteliers, Kashmiri labourers and even for essential commodities like milk and bread.

Those who got stuck here due to the non-plying of vehicles were fleeced by anyone and everyone who got a chance to do so, notwithstanding the rhetoric “Atithi Devo Bhava” in the abode of gods. With there being no check from the Tourism Department or the Municipal Corporation (MC), everyone is going by the saying- “Make hay while the sun shines”.

Though the situation improved today, a majority of tourists had to pay hefty amounts ranging between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 yesterday to get their vehicles pushed out of parking lots and up the slopes to the outskirts of the town. Kashmiri labourers, used to much harsher winters back home in the Valley, seem to have been making quick bucks from the woes of the tourists.

The situation in hotels was no different. “For an extended stay on account of traffic being disrupted, we had to pay Rs 2,800 instead of Rs 1,500, we paid the previous night,” said a couple from Delhi. The reason given to them was that since their booking was over and the hotel was booked further, they should either vacate the room or pay an exorbitantly enhanced amount.

With supply of essential commodities like bread, milk and vegetables to the not so well-connected parts of the town still not becoming normal, prices of tea, milk, bread and food in ‘dhabas’, too, were hiked up, especially for outsiders.

“Having gone through a nightmare with no water and power supply in the hotel and still being made to pay double, we will never show this kind of enthusiasm to come to Shimla to enjoy the snow,” said Pankaj and Arjun from Chandigarh.

The MC has cleared the snow on the Cart Road. However, with the parking lots near Lift, Hotel Holiday Home and other places being full of snow, getting vehicle out without assistance is impossible. Many people had to engage labour to virtually push their vehicles in the snow to avoid skidding.

Even the locals are now confronting the woes that follow the fun and frolic associated with snow. Except for the Cart Road, bypass and VIP routes, most roads have not been cleared of the snow. Walking on the snow, which has now become hard ice, is proving to be a dicey task for the locals.

Shimla, January 20
Even as bright sunshine throughout the day brought some warmth to residents, life here is still far from normal as electricity, water supply and vehicular movement in many parts of the town remained affected.

Though the bad weather spell is over, temperature in most parts of the state took a further plunge with Keylong freezing at -12.5°C. There was no fresh spell of rain or snow in tribal areas, including Bharmour, Kinnaur, Pangi and Lahaul and Spiti, with power supply in many parts yet to be restored.

Power supply also remained erratic in tribal areas and interior parts of Shimla and Kullu, even as the staff of the Electricity Department remained engaged in repairing wires, which were snapped due to uprooting of trees. Vehicular movement to Kinnaur, Rampur, Jubbal, Rohru and other parts of upper Shimla remained disrupted due to heavy snowfall. Many private as well as Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation buses remained stranded at various places in the interior parts of Kinnaur, Spiti, Shimla, Sirmour and Kullu districts.

Life in the state capital is still far from normal as power supply remained erratic and vehicular movement restricted to only the Cart Road and that, too, partially. Even though the local Municipal Corporation cleared the Cart Road, bypass and VIP routes, most other routes are still covered with snow, making it a precarious task to walk down the snow-laden roads.

As per the forecast by the local Meteorological Centre, the weather is likely to remain clear in the next few days. It is likely to take a turn after January 23 as a feeble western disturbance is approaching the Western Himalayan region.

The temperatures recorded in various parts of the state are: Shimla (0.3°C), Sundernagar (1.0°C), Bhuntar (0.5°C), Dharamsala (4.6°C), Una (6.5°C), Saluni (-2.0°C), Nahan (4.1°C), Solan (0.4°C) and Manali (-6.2°C).

Shimla, January 20
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has sought permission from the government to register a first information report (FIR) against two senior officials, including an IAS officer, for alleged irregularities in the tendering process in the pulses scam that rocked the state during the previous BJP regime.

The Vigilance Bureau has sought permission from the Principal Secretary, Home, and the Vigilance Department to allow it to register an FIR against IAS officer Padam Singh Chauhan and Ashok Chauhan, Deputy Controller, Himachal Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Corporation. Padam Singh Chauhan was the Managing Director of the corporation and the scam had figured prominently in the Congress charge sheet.

The two officers were accused of favouring AR Traders in the re-tendering process with regard to delayed online transfer of Rs 30 lakh earnest money which was to be paid in the form of a draft along with tender documents. It was also alleged that the pulses supply was made from Delhi instead of Bathinda.

A separate case was registered in the pulses scam on February 4 last against other officials with the corporation. Permission to prosecute two officials, Kashmir Singh Rana, Assistant Procurement Officer, and Ashok Kumar Kaushal, General Manager, Administration, was given by the government on December 12 last. The case, registered under Sections 13-1(D) and 15, Prevention of Corruption Act, and Section 120-B, IPC, was put up in court on January 3.

The pulses were meant for sale under the public distribution system at the fair price shops all over the state. The alleged irregularities in the tendering process would have resulted in a loss of crores per month if the irregularities had not been detected. The Vigilance Bureau also probed other aspects of the scam regarding transportation, the alleged sale of imported pulses and the supply of substandard material bought locally.

Vigilance sources said the two officials were allegedly involved in the manipulation of the tendering document, which would have resulted in undue benefit to the Delhi-based company. “The two officials allegedly added ‘required pulses’ at their own level without the consent of their bosses with the alleged motive of giving benefit to the firm concerned and this automatically rendered many other firms ineligible,” revealed an official.

Another fact which could go against the two officials was that the record of their mobile phone calls revealed that they were in constant touch with the firm during the crucial period when the tendering process was on. The proprietor of the firm which was awarded the contract for supply of pulses, Mohinder Mittal, was made an accused in the case.

After the cancellation of the initial tender, fresh bids were invited. The re-tendering was done and the contract awarded to another firm at Rs 495 per quintal for ‘urad’, Rs 501 per quintal for gram whole and Rs 321 for dal gram.

Office-bearers of the Youth Congress and NSUI at a press conference of RS Bali, vice-president, state Youth Congress, in Kangra on Sunday. Photo: Ashok Raina

Kangra, January 20
The Youth Congress leadership in Himachal Pradesh today pinned its hopes on the new vice-president of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) Rahul Gandhi to change India for the better, with Rahul’s taking over as the second in command on the national level in the party.

Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress vice-president Raghuvir Singh Bali said this while addressing a press conference at his residence here today. Bali said Rahul had instilled the democratic system in the Youth Congress with perfect transparency and infused a sense of sincerity and dedication among Youth Congress workers at the grassroot level during the past eight years resulting in the Youth Congress getting stronger day by day.

Bali said it was in the interest of the Congress party and the country to assign the job to lead the party at the national level to young party leader Rahul Gandhi.

He said youth would get further encouraged and patronised by the new party leadership and aggressively nurture the NSUI and the Youth Congress in the coming days. He said Rahul had introduced open membership for Youth Congress workers who were getting direct link with the party headquarters and thousands were inducted through this programme.

HPCC general secretary Ajay Verma, DCC general secretary Mehta and Youth Congress and NSUI office-bearers of different districts, blocks and Assembly constituencies were present with Bali for celebrations.

Earlier, Youth Congress workers burnt crackers and distributed sweets in Kangra and Nagrota Bagwan Assembly segment to celebrate the induction of Rahul as vice-president, AICC.

Kangra, January 20
Kamal Sabri, son of sarangi legend Ustab Sabri Khan, today left the audience spellbound by his presentation at the Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (DRPGMC), Tanda, during his hour-long sarangi programme organised by the Students Central Association of the college.

Kamal, who is carrying forward the rich legacy of the Senia Gharana of Moradabad with single-minded dedication, was accompanied by Sukhmay Bannerjee on the tabla and Naveel Ahmad on the sarangi.

Kamal, who is the seventh generation of a distinguished family of traditional musicians, demonstrated profound versatility in playing the sarangi.

Kamal was initiated and trained by his father in the Senia Gharana of Rampur, Moradabad, from the tender age of 5 years and very soon this child prodigy made waves in the musical world with his talent. His musical brilliance as a seasoned accompanist gained immense popularity amongst eminent classical vocalists.

Kamal participated in several prestigious festivals over the years, both on the national and international levels. He continued to explore the vast realm of the music world, yet retaining the purity of the Indian classical music through the strains of his sarangi.

The audience were students of the Tanda college, some young music lovers and intellectuals of Kangra town. The concert started with Raga Kirwani-Baada in Khayal Ek Taal and Chotta in Khayal Teen Taal followed by a Rajasthani dhun in Raga Maand.

The programme concluded with Veshnav Jankoo… followed by “Sub ko samati de Bhagwan....” 

Kangra, January 20
Students and staff of DAV Public Senior Secondary School, Alampur, yesterday celebrated Water Awareness Day to advocate judicious use of water.

Punam Suri, president, DAV Institutions, urged students to save important resource of water.

School Principal Bikram Singh said the students were arranged into different groups escorted by teachers and sent to adjoining areas.

Bikram Singh addressed the students before they left for different villages and said, “It is time every one of us realises the need to be water-wise.”

The students visited Thural, Jaisinghpur, Sujanpur and Alampur to motivate the masses not to waste a single drop of water.

Bikram Singh said handbills were distributed by tiny tots of the school. Besides a talk, poster and slogan-writing competition was also organised.

Nurpur: DAV Public School, Rehan, in this subdivision organised an awareness campaign to disseminate the message of global issue of conservation of water on Saturday. The campaign was launched in the wake of innovative project BOOND undertaken by the Arya Pradeshik Pratinidhi Sabha (College Management Committee, DAV, Delhi).

The school students took out a rally to highlight the message of using water judiciously. The school administration also organised competitions of poster-making and painting among students. The main objective of the competitions was water conservation which has become a global issue. 

Shimla, January 20
Five persons were killed and several houses damaged due to an avalanche and storm in the tribal district of Kinnaur during the past 48 hours.

Ashok Kumar and his three-year-old daughter Sulochan died after being buried under an avalanche at Runang village 
in Kinnaur.

The bodies of the two deceased were retrieved from under the debris with the help of the Army, the police and local villagers.

A total of nine persons were buried under the avalanche but seven were rescued.

In another incident at Pangi village in Kinnaur, Ram Guru and his mother Gulab Devi died after their house got buried under an avalanche. In one more incident, Man Singh, a labourer, was buried under an avalanche and died.

A two-storeyed building owned by Kishore Kumar in Tham Garang panchayat in Sangla area was buried under the avalanche. An apple orchard of 150 bighas was completely damaged by an avalanche in the Chansu Panchayat. Panchayat pradhan Anil Negi has urged the district administration to provide relief to the affected owners of the land.

Meanwhile, about 30 residents of Spiti area, stranded at Reckong Peo, the district headquarters of Kinnaur, have urged the Deputy Commissioner to make arrangements for them to be flown to their villages as the roads are blocked. A majority of them are Buddhists returning after visiting various monasteries in other parts of the country.

Hamirpur, January 20
Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Rana has decided to fight the monkey menace in the state. Talking to mediapersons here on Friday evening, Rana said due to large-scale destruction of crops by monkeys in several areas, many farmers had abandoned farming and the problem had acquired alarming proportions.

He said, “Even the state government is quite anxious to find out a solution to this problem and I will take up the issue in the State Assembly and outside.”

Replying to a question about the alleged irregularities in the construction of a shopping complex at Sujanpur, Rana said, “The work of constructing this shopping complex was awarded to a contractor for Rs 25 lakh and he left the work incomplete. After that the work was completed by the department.”

He said, “I am going to take up this issue with the district administration and will demand an inquiry in the construction.”

Rana also opposed the criteria of Rs 1 lakh deposit from people to take possession of shops in the complex saying “the complex was built for poor people and many of them are unable to pay this deposit.”

The MLA added that he would also take up the issue of shortage of staff in the IPH Department and HP State Electricity Board Limited with the state government.

Rana has also urged the government to promote the opening of small-scale industrial units in the area to provide employment to local unemployed youth near their homes. 

Manali, January 20
After inclement weather conditions and recent moderate to heavy snowfall in the upper Kullu valley, clear sky and bright sun greeted tourists and the locals in Manali today. However, normal life in the upper Manali areas could not be restored yet.

Traffic on the Manali-Kullu National Highway was disrupted between Manali and Patlikul for the third consecutive day today. Meanwhile, the PWD has cleared snow on the Manali-Kullu National Highway and Manali-Naggar roads.

Most of the long route Manali-bound buses have suspended their journey at various places between Manali-Kalath and Patlikul. Only light vehicles are plying between Manali and Patlikul. All local buses remained suspended for the third day on the Manali-Naggar road, Solang and Kothi today. Traffic in the upper Kullu valley also remained suspended for the third day today, as most of the link roads remained blocked due to heavy snowfall.

The famous ski slopes of the Solang valley received heavy snowfall attracting a large number of winter sports lovers. 

Chamba, January 20
In the wake of heavy snowfall just two days ago, workforces of the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB), and the Public Works Department (PWD) have started restoration works to resume the transportation services, electricity supply and water supply in distant areas of 
Chamba district.

Officials said the Dharwas-Killar Road had been opened to vehicular traffic by removing snow from the road. The work to restore electricity supply in far-flung villages in high-altitude areas of the district was also underway.

Meanwhile, reports said a number of villages located in the higher elevations of Bharmour, Holi, Tissa and Salooni were still without electricity, while some villages were getting erratic power supply. Buses could not ply on interior roads of the villages in remote areas, the report said.

Sundernagar, January 20
The HP State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission headed by its president Justice Surjeet Singh (retired), while dealing with appeals pertaining to faulty electricity bills, filed by Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL), has dismissed three appeals and directed the board to pay an amount of Rs 500 each as compensation and Rs 1,000 each as the cost of litigation to three consumers. This is apart from adjusting the excess amount charged through faulty electricity bills.

In September 2011, the office of subdivisional officer of HPSEBL, Sundernagar, issued faulty bills to three consumers, Shyam Lal, Roshan Lal and Kusham Chand, all residents of Upper Behali of Sundernagar. The consumers, to avoid disconnection, paid the amount and filed complaints before the Consumer Forum, Mandi. The forum, on May 2, 2012, held the circuit at Sundernagar culprit and quashed the bills and directed officials to issue fresh bills after adjusting the amount wrongly charged.

The HPSEBL, through its Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Senior Executive Engineer, Sundernagar, and Sub-Divisional Officer filed three appeals that the Consumer Forum was not having jurisdiction to entertain these complaints. The state redressal commission dismissed all the appeals filed.

Palampur, January 20
Customers of local banks, including locker holders, are worried over the poor security measures in public as well as private banks of the town.

The locker holders say their belongings are not safe in the present security set-up of the banks. The bank managements should take measures to tighten the security system in their branches.

The issue has come into light following a bank robbery of crores of rupees at the Punjab and Sindh Bank branch in Jalandhar yesterday.

There are 22 branches of private and public banks in the town and only the State Bank of India has a night security guard while the remaining 21 branches are without security guards. These banks are only dependent on night patrolling of the police. Despite a number of thefts at ATMs in the state in the past few months, the higher authorities of the banks have failed to initiate steps to appoint night watchmen for their branches.

Not adhering to the guidelines issued by the Director General of Police, many banks are yet to install CCTV cameras in the town.

A senior manger of a nationalised bank said the top management of the bank was aware of the situation, but they had not received any permission to appoint night watchmen. He said at times there was no one to man ATMs after 5 pm.

A number of branches of the banks are situated on the outskirts of the town like Baijnath Road, Palampur Bypass, Aima and Ghuggar, which are deserted after 10 pm.

“It is the responsibility of the banks to guard their institutions. It is not a job of the police. We are already facing a problem of staff crunch. It is difficult to keep an eagle’s eye on all the bank outlets of the town,” says a senior police officer.