Page 32 - Himachal Pradesh

Himachal govt to provide 50% subsidy on tea-plucking machines, equipment

The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to offer 50 per cent subsidy on machines and equipment used to pluck tea leaves to provide relief to the state's tea industry. Small and scattered land holdings, high cost of labour and production, low productivity levels, and not enough tea auction centres are some of the factors hindering tea development in the state, people associated with the sector said. The move is expected to benefit about 5,900 tea growers in Palampur, Baijnath, Dharamshala and Kangra areas in Kangra district, Jogindernagar and Karsog areas in Mandi district and Bhattiyat in Chamba. The landholding of 96 per cent tea growers is less than 0.5 hectares. Earlier, tea growers were not covered under the agriculture tools scheme as equipment used for tea cultivation were different from those used for other crops, Agriculture Secretary Rakesh Kanwar told PTI on Monday. "Now, we have included them and they would get a subsidy for acquiring a certain set of equipment, ...

Wet spell to continue in Himachal till Aug 11; heavy rains forecast for Sun

The wet spell in Himachal Pradesh is likely to continue till August 11, the MeT office here said while issuing a yellow alert for heavy rains on Sunday. Light to heavy rains lashed parts of the hill state on Friday and Saturday, the weather department added. In the past 24 hours ending at 6.30 pm on Saturday, Poanta Sahib received the maximum rainfall at 108 mm, Dhaulakuan 69 mm, Palampur 55 mm, Dharamshala 29 mm, Shimla 27 mm, and Mandi and Mashobra recorded 18 mm each, the MeT said. As many as 278 roads, including the National Highway 5 connecting Shimla and Chandigarh, are closed for vehicular traffic, which has been diverted through alternate roads, officials said. About 201 persons have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents so far since the onset of monsoon in Himachal Pradesh on June 24. The state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 6,676 crore, according to the state emergency operation centre.

Himachal CM briefs Cong's Kharge about losses due to heavy rains last month

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on Saturday and discussed multiple issues concerning the state, including the losses due to heavy rains last month. Sukhu informed Kharge about the devastation caused by floods and heavy rains in the state as well as the relief and rescue operations carried out by the state government. He also told the Congress chief about the evacuation of tourists from Chandertaal at an altitude of 4,300 metres in Spiti, by his ministers. The Congress government is trying its best to restore normalcy, Sukhu said and told Kharge that he has sought immediate relief from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kharge lauded the efforts of Sukhu for personally monitoring the relief and rescue operations on the spot, according to an official statement. The Himachal Pradesh chief minister also informed Kharge about his meeting with BJP President J P Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Raj

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330 roads closed due to rain-triggered landslides in Himachal Pradesh

Vikramaditya Singh expressed gratitude to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for assuring Rs 400 crore package for flood-hit Kullu district restoration during his recent visit to the state

Himachal monsoon mayhem: 199 people dead, 31 missing till now: SDMA

Out of 199 deaths, 57 were due to landslides and flash floods while 142 people died due to road accidents during the monsoon period

NH 5 closed at Chakki Mod due to landslide in Himachal's Parvati Valley

The Chandiagrh-Shimla Highway (NH 05) has been temporarily closed at Chakki Mod in the Parvati Valley of Himachal Pradesh due to a landslide, informed the Solan Police Department through a tweet. The Solan Police Department has further urged all travellers to adhere to the alternative traffic plan while the authorities work on clearing the debris.The recent landslide has caused a blockage on the highway, making it unsafe for vehicles and commuters.In response to the situation, the concerned authorities have initiated the task of removing the debris and stabilizing the affected area. As soon as the work is completed, the authorities will inform the public about the reopening of the highway, the authorities said.According to the HP disaster management authority data, so far 190 people have died in the monsoon due to various reasons. Of these, 54 people have lost their lives due to landslides and flash floods. 136 people have lost their lives due to road accidents or other reasons. Till .

Gadkari assures Rs 400 cr for Himachal's flood-hit Kullu restoration

The Chief Minister while addressing the press conference said that it was for the first time in the history of Himachal that a disaster of such high magnitude struck the state

Transportation of apples challenge for Himachal farmers due to rains

The over Rs 5,000-crore apple industry of Himachal Pradesh is in dire straits as farmers see transportation of the fruit a major challenge amid closure of roads due to heavy rains triggering floods and landslides. Apple farming generates employment for thousands of labourers and plays a pivotal role in the growth of carton manufacturers and transporters in the state. Apple is grown in 21 out of 68 assembly segments in Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, and Chamba districts as well as in selective pockets of Solan, Sirmaur and Kangra districts. The closure of roads in the apple growing areas following landslides has taken a toll over early apple variety Tideman and Pear. The crop has already started rotting and the situation is likely to worsen in the next ten days when the plucking season would reach its peak, Fruit Vegetable Flower Growers Association President Harish Chauhan told PTI. More than 350 roads are still closed as per the state emergency operation centre.

Shimla's ex-Dy Mayor files FIR against NHAI, road building company GR Infra

A case has been registered for unscientific construction and violating the norms to build the road which caused landslides, flood and killed so many people during the heavy rains in the state

Cong workers disappointed at not being heard by Sukhu govt: Ex-state chief

Speaking to reporters in Shimla on Saturday, the Theog MLA and former Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief said party workers were not happy with the Sukhu government

Monsoon affects tourism industry in HP, Dharamshala-McLeodganj NH damaged

A loss of more than Rs 6 crore has been estimated due to rains in Dharamshala only which may increase further as reports are yet to come from many departments

Monsoon has claimed 187 lives in Himachal Pradesh till now: HPSDMA

Over 650 roads including three national highways are closed

Need to maintain balance between development and environment, says SC

The Supreme Court has emphasised the need for maintaining a balance between development and environment, and said it would hear a matter relating to the Shimla Development Plan on August 11. The Himachal Pradesh government notified the draft Shimla Development Plan last month to regulate construction activities there. A plea pertaining to the issue came up for hearing before a bench of Justices B R Gavai and J B Pardiwala on Friday. The bench said it would examine the plan, keeping in view that a balance needs to be maintained between development and environment. It listed the matter for hearing on August 11. The top court was hearing a plea arising out of a November 2017 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which had passed a slew of directions while noting that unplanned and indiscriminate development in the core, non-core, green and rural areas within the Shimla planning area had given rise to serious environmental and ecological concerns. The plan was approved by the .

World Bank to provide assessment of damages due to Himachal floods

The World Bank has offered to provide full support to flood-affected Himachal Pradesh, and will provide a comprehensive assessment of the damages which will aide reconstruction efforts, a statement issued here on Friday said. The World Bank has offered to conduct an assessment in collaboration with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) to quantify losses suffered in various sectors such as roads, power, water supply, housing, public buildings, irrigation, agriculture, horticulture, livestock, ecological services, the statement said. World Bank's Country Director for India Auguste Tano Kouame has conveyed the bank's appreciation towards the timely measures taken by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in a letter, including for monitoring and ensuring the safe return of tourists stranded in different parts of the state, a government spokesperson said. The proposed assessment will play a pivotal role in facilitating the reconstruction efforts, the statement

Weather Update: Heavy rainfall predicted in Mumbai, IMD issues red alert

According to IMD, Mumbai has recorded its wettest July on record with the month so far witnessing a record 1557.8 mm of rainfall

Himachal rains: NH-5 blocked in Shimla, Kinnaur following landslides

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) shared images of the blocked stretches of the highway in two Himachal districts

Nainital cable car breaks down mid way, passengers left stranded

A cable car carrying 12 people, including six foreign tourists, stopped midway as one of its wheels broke down here on Thursday, an official said. The technical snag left those on board the cable car scared and stranded for about an hour, Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd (KMVN) GM AP Vajpayee said. While the aerial tramway was moving, the sound of the breaking in one of its wheels was heard by the operator who immediately stopped it. The cable car was carrying six foreigners, five school children and the operator. After about an hour, the passengers in the cable car were rescued safely using ropes, he said. Now, the damaged wheel will be inspected and repaired, before restarting the ropeway operation, Vajpayee said. The cable car runs between Mall Road and Snowview. It is a three-minute steep ride. In June 2013, a similar incident occurred and 21 tourists had to be rescued.

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Three feared dead as pickup truck falls into Sutlej in Himachal Pradesh

Three people are feared dead after the pickup truck in which they were travelling veered off the road and fell into the Sutlej river in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district, police said on Thursday. One person was injured in the incident that took place on Wednesday night, they said. The pickup truck was carrying four people, all residents of Jani village, when it fell into the river on Jani link road in the Nichar area, police said. Driver Jeevan Singh, his wife Champa Devi and another woman Anita Kumar were swept away in the river while Rajkumari fell out of the rolling vehicle and got stuck in the hills, they said. The injured is undergoing treatment at a hospital. The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, they said.