Page 29 - Himachal Pradesh

3,529 arbitration cases pending in Himachal, HC says 'extremely serious'

The Court observed that the issue is indeed extremely serious and, therefore, required to be deliberated upon by all the stakeholders, more particularly, NHAI and Central Government

Himachal Police gets Rs 7 cr to strengthen road safety to reduce accidents

The Himachal Pradesh government has released Rs 7.34 crore for the police to procure equipment and implement measures to reduce road accidents and deaths. Released by the transport department, the road safety fund will be utilised to procure traffic equipment and go a long way in meeting the target set by the United Nations to reduce accident deaths to 50 per cent by 2030, Director-General of Police Sanjay Kundu said on Saturday. The police will procure traffic lights for installation in Bijiri and Hamirpur and rescue equipment for the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway, he said. On an average, 1,180 people die each year in 3,090 accidents while 5,480 people suffer injuries, according to police records. Procurement of modern equipment for traffic regulation by the police is an ongoing process. Forty-nine Intelligent Traffic Management System have been installed at various places on national and state highways and 28,223 challans issued for traffic rules violation this year. Another

HP rain fury: Death toll over past week climbs to 78; more rains forecast

The death toll in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh over the past week rose to 78 on Saturday with the recovery of one more body from the debris of a collapsed Shiv temple here, officials said. Out of the 78 deaths since Sunday night, 24 were in the three major landslides in Shimla alone -- 17 at the Shiv temple in Summer Hill, 5 in Fagli, and 2 in Krishnanagar, Superintendent, Shimla, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi told PTI on Saturday. Joint operations of Army, National and State Disaster Response Force, Police and Home Guards are underway to retrieve the bodies from the landslide rubble and at least three persons are still feared buried under the temple debris, the SP said. Drones are being used for identification of high risk zones and monitoring of sliding sites in the state capital, he added. On Friday, the Himachal Pradesh government declared the state as a "Natural Calamity Affected Area" in view of the damage caused by heavy rains leading to loss of human life and extensive

JP Nadda to visit Himachal on Aug 20, take stock of flood situation

Incessant rain has led to landslides, cloudbust and flash floods, causing significant damage in the State

Yellow warning for heavy rains in 10 Himachal districts on Aug 21, 22

The local meteorological station on Friday issued a yellow warning for heavy rains, thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places in 10 districts of Himachal Pradesh on August 21 and 22 even as the monsoon activity remained subdued in the state. Light to moderate precipitation is likely to continue at a few places in lower and mid hills during the next 48 hours. The rainfall activity is likely to increase in distribution and intensity from August 21 with precipitation in many parts of the state till August 24, the MeT office said in a release. There is a possibility of spells of heavy rainfall at isolated places in the non-tribal districts from August 21 to 23 while thunderstorm/lightning may occur at few places resulting in disruption of traffic and other essential services. "Flash Floods along watershed and other channels in district of Kangra, Chamba, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Sirmaur, Solan, and tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti besides localised flooding of roads, ...

Gehlot announces aid of Rs 15 cr for rain-ravaged Himachal Pradesh

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday announced a financial assistance of Rs 15 crore to Himachal Pradesh where heavy rains and landslides have wreaked havoc. An assistance of Rs 15 crore will be given by the Rajasthan government to help the people suffering from the difficult situation created by heavy rains and landslides in Himachal Pradesh, Gehlot said in a post on X, formerly called Twitter. Gehlot said the people of Rajasthan are standing with the people of Himachal Pradesh in these difficult circumstances. This comes after Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced a financial assistance of Rs 11 crore to the flood-hit state earlier in the day. Officials in Himachal Pradesh have said the total number of deaths in rain-related incidents in the state since Sunday night has increased to 75 with Shimla alone accounting for 22 fatalities. Heavy rains have lashed the hill state since Sunday, triggering landslides in Shimla and several other districts. Since t

Himachal govt declares whole state as 'natural calamity affected area'

The Himachal Pradesh government Friday declared the massive damage caused by heavy rains as a state calamity. The entire hill state has been declared as a "natural calamity affected area" in view of the damage caused to human life and property due to heavy rains, a notification issued here on Friday said. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had told PTI that the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to declare the massive damage caused by heavy rains as a state calamity. The state is also awaiting a response from the Centre to declare the disaster in Himachal Pradesh as a national calamity, Sukhu said. Speaking to PTI, Principal Secretary (Revenue) Onkar Chand Sharma said that after the weather becomes normal and accessibility is improved, a complete assessment of the losses incurred by the hill state would be conducted and the report will be submitted to the Centre for recovery and reconstruction efforts. Meanwhile, with the recovery of three more bodies f

Will take action on officials for non-compliance of water release rules: HP

With heavy rains and flash floods devastating Himachal Pradesh, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena on Friday pitched for stringent action against dam authorities not following water release guidelines, saying "it is time to send notices and not letters or reminders". Chairing a meeting on safety issues regarding the discharge of water from dams, Saxena said that though a part of the devastation was natural but responsibility must also be fixed for the failure of the dam authorities in complying with relevant provisions of the Dam Safety Act (DSA) and the Central Water Commission (CWC) guidelines of 2015. Strengthening of early warning system was stressed after 24 students from Andhra Pradesh were washed away as water from the Larji Dam was discharged without prior warning in 2014, he said, adding that the Act provides for surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all specified reservoirs. However, many dam authorities have failed in fulfilling their duties, resulting in the

After bananas, now apples get costlier due to torrential rains in Himachal

During the last week, apple prices have increased from Rs 120 per kg to Rs 200 per kg

Himachal Pradesh to declare heavy rains as state calamity: CM Sukhu

The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to declare the massive damage caused by heavy rains as a state calamity, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Friday. He said a notification in this regard would be issued Friday. The state is also waiting a response from the Centre to declare the disaster in Himachal Pradesh as a national calamity. Heavy rains have lashed the hill state since Sunday, triggering landslides in several districts, including Shimla. Talking to PTI, the chief minister said rescue operations are going on in full swing and the state government is making efforts to help the affected families especially those whose houses have been damaged in the flash floods and landslides with its own resources. "Central teams have inspected the affected areas for loss assessment and we need timely help from the Centre," Sukhu said, adding the state has suffered an estimated loss of Rs 10,000 crore. With the recovery of one more body from the rubble of a Shiv temple i

Chhattisgarh CM announces Rs 11 crore aid for rain-ravaged Himachal Pradesh

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday announced to provide a financial assistance of Rs 11 crore to Himachal Pradesh, where heavy rains and landslides have wreaked havoc, a government official here said. Baghel on Thursday spoke to his Himachal Pradesh counterpart Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu over phone and took stock of the situation in the northern state and assured to extend support to deal with it, he said. In a statement issued on Friday, Baghel said a severe natural calamity has hit the 'Devbhoomi' (land of gods) Himachal Pradesh and in such a situation, people of Chhattisgarh are standing with the people of the northern state. The CM said he has announced to release Rs 11 crore on behalf of the people of Chhattisgarh to the Himachal Pradesh government for the relief and rehabilitation of victims of the disaster. Officials in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday said the total number of deaths in rain-related incidents in the state since Sunday night has increased to 72 with

NDRF continues search and rescue in Shimla's landslide-hit Summer Hill

Earlier, NDRF on Thursday said that a total of 13 bodies, among 21 people who went missing after a massive landslide, have been recovered

HP rain fury: Death toll climbs to 72, 8 still under Shiv temple debris

With the recovery of one more body from the debris of a collapsed Shiv temple in Summer Hill area here, the death toll in the rain fury in Himachal Pradesh has climbed to 72, officials said on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Prof P L Sharma, Chairman, Department of Mathematics, Himachal Pradesh University. The temple was crowded with devotees on Monday when the landslide struck. Eight persons are still feared buried in the debris. Heavy rains have lashed the hill state since Sunday, triggering landslides in several districts, including Shimla. The total number of deaths in rain-related incidents in the state since Sunday night has increased to 72 with Shimla alone accounting for 21 deaths. "With the recovery of one more body on Wednesday, the death toll in three landslide incidents - Summerhill, Fagli and Krishna Nagar in state capital Shimla -- has reached 21," Superintendent of Police, Shimla, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi told PTI. Rescue operations are going on in Summer Hill

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13 bodies recovered, NDRF rescue operations enter 4th day in Shimla

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit regions of Indora and Fatehpur in the Kangra district

Banana prices rise to Rs 100 per kg amid shortage of supply from Tamil Nadu

Banana traders said that middlemen are responsible for the price rise as farmers were not getting the right prices for their produce

Over 50 chopper sorties in last 48 hrs, rescued over 780 in HP: IAF

Earlier, on Wednesday, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit regions of Indora and Fatehpur in the Kangra district

No homes for homestays, no roads for trips: HP, U'khand reel from deluge

Himachal and Uttarakhand hotels face cancelled reservations, lack of advance bookings; apple growers also stare at a loss of Rs 1,000 crore

960 rescued, over 10K taken to safer locations in HP, U'khand, Punjab: NDRF

More than 960 people have been rescued while over 10,000 have been shifted to safer places in regions of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab battered by heavy rains and flash floods, the NDRF said on Wednesday. A total of 29 teams of the federal contingency force have been earmarked for undertaking relief and rescue operations in these states out of which 14 are actively deployed while the rest are on standby. Due to excessive rainfall in the last few days, flash floods hit Kangra, Shimla and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh and Rupnagar district of Punjab, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said in a statement. Several houses have been damaged and a number of people are stranded at various places, it said. So far, NDRF has rescued more than 960 victims and shifted 10,363 personnel to safer places in these states, it said in an update issued at 7 pm. The central force apart from state disaster response units, army, air force, police and local authorities are ...