Manali remains a favourite for tourists due nearby chuckling snow-laden mountains…reports Asian Lite News
Amid a decline in Covid-19 cases and to escape the early setting of scorching heat in plains, hordes of holidaymakers converged across destinations in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, the first day of the onset of a long weekend that lasts till April 17.
As per the hospitality industry, the state capital and its nearby picnic spots have been geared up to play host to over 50,000 tourists in the extended four-day weekend.
Keeping in mind to set cash registers ringing, several private hoteliers in prominent destinations like Shimla, Kufri, Manali, Dharamsala, Palampur, Kasauli and Chail have hiked room tariffs.
Available information suggests a room fetching Rs 1,000 last year owing to the pandemic is sold off at Rs 5,000 a day in most of the hotels in Shimla, Kufri, Chail, Narkanda and Kasauli.
Apart from the weekend, Thursday is B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary and also festival of Baisakhi and the following day is Good Friday. So by combining this with the weekend, people could celebrate for four days at a stretch.
“Almost all our properties in Shimla and its nearby destinations like Chail, Kufri, Narkanda and Kasauli are packed to capacity till this weekend,” a senior official with Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) said.
He said most tourists prefer to visit those destinations from where they can enjoy the view of snow-laden hills.
Besides Shimla and Manali, the most sought after destinations are Narkanda, Sangla, Kasauli, Chail, Palampur, Dharamsala and Dalhousie, he said.
Chandigarh-based entrepreneur Rakesh Bhandari said: “After a long gap of fear and anxiety owing to the pandemic, we got an opportunity for a family vacation. Since media reports say the entire Kashmir is packed to capacity, we decided to travel to Shimla.”
His daughter Neha added: “What a pleasant weather in the hills from the scorching conditions in Chandigarh.”
Manali remains a favourite for tourists due nearby chuckling snow-laden mountains.
“Nearby hills of Manali still have plenty of snow where the tourists can enjoy,” a Manali-based travel agent told IANS over the phone.
Seeing the rush of tourists, taxi drivers and guides are openly fleecing the tourists by quoting high rates, pinching the pockets of holidaymakers.
“In Kufri, pony owners are virtually trying to poach you despite your refusals. You will end up getting charged hefty for a ride,” said tourist Deepak Talwar.
According to various reports, there has been an increase of 80-90 per cent in the tourist inflow to the state compared to last year.
But a word of caution for the motorists travelling towards the Kunzum Pass.
Lahaul-Spiti Deputy Commissioner Neeraj Kumar has advised tourists and locals to avoid travelling through Kaza-Losar-Gramphu-Koksar highway as the road is not restored for traffic.
The highway passes through 14,931 feet (4,551m) Kunzum Pass.
The state economy is highly dependent on hydroelectric power, horticulture and tourism.
The World Bank agreed to work with the state to explore areas where its support would have the maximum impact…reports Asian Lite News
World Bank Vice-President for South Asia, Hartwig Schafer, on Wednesday concluded a two-day visit to the state with a plan to make it the first green state in India.
Schafer met with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to discuss the progress Himachal Pradesh has been making towards a greener and more sustainable growth path, and its vision for the future.
He congratulated the state for the good progress achieved in the fields of renewable energy, agriculture, forest management, and water and sanitation.
In the hill city of #Shimla, a corporatized water utility institution manages water supply and sanitation services. The formation of #SJPNL is the result of transformational institutional reforms supported by the government of #HimachalPradesh and @WorldBankIndia. pic.twitter.com/AVvj0RkR3H
“Himachal Pradesh and the World Bank have had a long and impactful partnership supporting the state’s growth plans,” said Thakur. “We look forward to further strengthening our engagement in clean and resilient infrastructure, climate smart agriculture and water resource management. This will help us take forward our vision of becoming the first green state in India.”
Schafer also met Chief Secretary and senior officials of the state government who shared a multi-sector approach to realise the vision of a green state.
The World Bank agreed to work with the state to explore areas where its support would have the maximum impact.
“The World Bank fully supports Chief Minister Thakur’s vision of making Himachal Pradesh the first ‘green’ state of India and ensuring that 100 per cent of the state’s energy needs are met through renewable and green energy by 2034,” said Schafer.
“The World Bank has been a proud partner of the state’s journey towards sustainable growth since 2005, through projects in hydropower, water supply, roads and agriculture. We look forward to continuing this partnership in the future”.
Earlier, Schafer visited the Shimla-Himachal Pradesh Water Supply and Sewerage Services Improvement Program and met with women representatives of the households benefiting from the programme.
He also met with women volunteers, also known as Jal Sakhis, and the independent directors of the utility.
“The women I met in Ramnagar shared with me how their lives have improved with reliable, clean and affordable water supply, and enhanced sanitation services, said Schafer.
“The installation of meters at the household level has ensured that the families are able to minimise water losses and pay per actual usage, so for most of the residents, the cost of water has come down. Lessons from this experience will help cities across the country”.
Residents of Ramnagar in #Shimla are now getting regular, clean and affordable #water supply and improved sanitation services compared to a few years earlier. This model of city utility services, supported by @WorldBankIndia, can be emulated in other cities in #India. pic.twitter.com/po8dRu6jvD
The World Bank has been supporting Himachal Pradesh to move forward with its green and inclusive development agenda through multiple engagements including renewable energy, agriculture, forest management, water and sanitation, and public financial management.
Since 2005, the World Bank has committed over $1.5 billion to support the state in watershed development, green hydropower, infrastructure, and agriculture.
Ongoing engagements in the state include horticulture development and improving water supply and sewerage services in the capital city of Shimla. To date, the World Bank has an active portfolio of five projects with total commitments of $473 million.
The GSDP of the state at current prices in 2021-22 is estimated at Rs 175,173 crore…reports Asian Lite News
The economy of Himachal Pradesh has recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic with the state’s GSDP set to grow at 8.3 per cent in 2021-22 as compared to minus 5.2 per cent in 2020-21, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Thursday.
Tabling the Economic Survey for 2021-22 in the Assembly, Thakur, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the state’s economy as per advance estimates is expected to witness real growth of 8.3 per cent in 2021-22 after contracting in 2020-21.
In real terms, the increase in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in the pre-Covid and post-Covid era i.e. 2019-20 and 2021-22 is 2.7 per cent.
The GSDP of the state at current prices in 2021-22 is estimated at Rs 175,173 crore.
The per capita income is estimated to register a quantum jump of 10.1 per cent from Rs 1.83 lakh last year to Rs 2.01 lakh in 2021-22, indicating a revival of the economy.
The survey says certain sectors have crossed pre-pandemic levels of output.
One of the worst-hit sector of tourism saw a decrease of 81 per cent in tourist arrivals in 2020, but the grim situation seems to be improving as there was an increase of 75.44 per cent in tourist flow up to December 2021.
However, the agriculture and allied sectors, which have been least impacted by the pandemic, are expected to register a growth of 8.7 per cent as compared to a negative growth of 8.6 per cent last year.
The services sector has been the worst hit by the pandemic even as it is expected to grow by 6.3 per cent, after having registered negative growth of 2.1 per cent, last year.
Tourism, horticulture and hydropower generation are major contributors to Himachal Pradesh’s economic development.
Authorities sprinkle water on the clay ground of the open-air rink which freezes under natural conditions in the night. If the sky is cloudy, the minimum temperature normally rises, resulting in thawing of the ice…reports Vishal Gulati
The country’s highest open-air ice hockey rink, developed recently amidst the stunning backdrop of the mighty Himalayas at an altitude of 3,720 metres in the picturesque but rugged Kaza, a cold desert town in Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti Valley, has turned into a nursery for the players.
In less than two years, Spiti Valley, the paradise that straddles both India and Tibet comprising over two dozen small and scattered villages, has earned its name in ice hockey through the Women Ice Hockey National Championship scheduled from January 16-20.
The passion of locals, mostly youngsters, for the game is unquestionable as they miss no opportunity in getting their skates to hit the ice.
Over 400 skaters enjoy their run at the rink every day. Skater Dolma Negi, a Class X student, said: “We are excited about participating in the advanced basic training camp. One day we will definitely get an opportunity to represent the state in a national tournament.”
The ice hockey rink — the highest in the country as Kaza is located at an altitude higher than Leh — of 60 metre by 30 metre size, exactly the international standard size, has been developed by giving a natural coating of thick layers of ice.
Authorities sprinkle water on the clay ground of the open-air rink which freezes under natural conditions in the night. If the sky is cloudy, the minimum temperature normally rises, resulting in thawing of the ice.
The congenial average minimum temperature for ice formation ranges from minus 10 to 15 degrees Celsius.
This season some 400-odd skaters belonging largely to the Spiti Valley, most of whom are in their 20s, have been registered for basic and advanced basic training camps, a rise in number from last year’s 223 participants, said organisers.
They are being trained by India Ice Hockey Association national coaches Amit Belwal and Noor Jahan, who was awarded Asia’s best goaltender in the 2016 IIHF Challenge Cup.
Seeing the local potential, facility and congenial climatic conditions, the Ice Hockey Association of India is currently holding a national development camp for 80 players in the run-up to the national championship that will see the participation of teams from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Telangana, Leh and Himachal Pradesh, among others.
Officials told IANS the ice hockey has been an integral part of Spiti for decades.
In 2019 when the first proper ice rink was set up by the District Youth Services and Sports Department, most of the players got an opportunity to hone their skills in a two-and-a-half-month sport.
“Initially most of the players borrowed skates and a hockey stick from one another despite the government making provision for them. Now they are not complaining as a majority of them have their own equipment,” said an official, adding “a new power in India’s ice hockey is emerging in the Himalayas, the second destination after Ladakh”.
With dreams of playing in the Winter Olympics, local lads are excited.
Athlete Tenzin Dolma dreams of representing the country internationally.
“Lack of proper equipment was earlier the deterrent in pursuing the sport professionally. Normally we used to take to hand-crafted wooden planks on frozen fields at an early age as the art of skating is passed on from one generation to another.
“Now with these coaching programmes, competitive skating has been acquiring a new meaning and with this most of us are aiming to represent the country,” she added.
Coach Noor Jahan told IANS that the girls here have a strong passion and will to learn the game. “They are from scores of villages situated in the suburbs of Kaza town. Their passion to learn is bringing most of them well ahead of the start of the practice session at 9 a.m. You can find some of the players as early as 6 a.m.”
From November to March, the area is piled with snow and children here have no option but to take to winter sports. “For them, skating blades are like any other toy,” the coach added.
Olympian Skalzang Dorje, an instructor with the Youth Services and Sports Department, said Spiti Valley has a huge potential for winter sports with many slopes.
“A youngster normally picks up a skate blade early. Now you can find high-end ski blades and skates, besides modern attire in every house,” said Dorje, who competed in the men’s archery individual and team events in the 1996 Summer Olympics.
The concept of the natural hockey rink evolved in Kaza, some 350 km from the state capital, from the skating rink in Shimla that was developed by an Irish military official named Blessington who lived during the British Raj.
The military official had inadvertently kept a bucket of water outside his residence and in the morning found it frozen. That gave him the idea of a skating rink and he created a small one of his own.
Hitting out at the Chief Minister in his Seraj Assembly constituency, she reminded the people that Virbhadra Singh had contributed a lot to the development of this area…reports Vishal Gulati.
It’s a battle between the past performance of an erstwhile political stalwart and the new achievements of a first-time Chief Minister in Himachal Pradesh, literally!
Congress veteran and six-time Chief Minister late Virbhadra Singh’s legacy will be put to test against BJP’s Chief Minister Jairam Thakur’s credibility during the parliamentary bypoll of Mandi, one of country’s toughest and sprawling constituencies.
The saffron party has pitted Brigadier Khushal Thakur (retired), a decorated officer who played a crucial role in the 1999 Kargil war, against Congress’ Pratibha Singh, a two-time MP from Mandi.
The seat — a prestige for Chief Minister Thakur as it falls in his home district — fell vacant with the death of two-time BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma, who defeated Congress candidate Ashray Sharma, the grandson of former Telecommunications Minister Sukh Ram in his electoral debut, with a record margin.
Eyeing sympathy votes, Pratibha Singh, who is banking largely on her first-time legislator son Vikramaditya Singh for campaigning, is seeking votes on development carried out by her husband during his three stints as an MP from Mandi and six terms as the Chief Minister.
Pratibha Singh, who lost the Mandi seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, is missing no opportunity to remind the electorates that the victory in Mandi by-election “will be a tribute to him (Virbhadra Singh)”.
Hitting out at the Chief Minister in his Seraj Assembly constituency, she reminded the people that Virbhadra Singh had contributed a lot to the development of this area.
“I am saddened to see the poor condition of roads. It appears that BJP pays no attention towards the problem of the common man,” she said, adding the state needed ‘majboot’ (strong) Lok Sabha members, not ‘majboor’ (helpless) leaders.
Countering the Congress candidate, Chief Minister Thakur replied: “People want a ‘majboot’ candidate as their MP, not a ‘majboor’ candidate.”
“The Congress candidate says that she did not want to contest the election. If she was not keen, she should not contest it,” he said, while seeking votes for party candidate Brigadier Khushal Thakur, a Kargil War hero.
Facing criticism over his purported remark with Congress woman legislator Asha Kumari saying the women are stronger, not helpless, Chief Minister Thakur defended himself by saying he has high respect for the Congress candidate and for all women.
“Asha Kumari misconstrued my words,” Thakur told the media.
Even the Congress candidate has courted controversy by taking a jibe at her political rival by saying Kargil “was a small battle, not a full-scale war”, which the Chief Minister said “saddening”.
“Everybody knows about the valour of Brigadier Khushal Thakur. He fought the Kargil battle valiantly. It is saddening that Pratibha Singh described the battle with Pakistan a minor one,” said the Chief Minister, who misses no opportunity to remind the voters that the credit for popularising Mandi as Chotti Kashi went to the late MP. Even in the Prime Minister’s speeches had a mention of Chotti Kashi.
For the five-time legislator Thakur, development, welfare and no witch hunting are the mantras of success. He says his government is working without any vendetta and vengeance even towards the political opponents.
Pratibha Singh is hoping to make a comeback from the margins after she failed to retain the Mandi seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
She believes she has an edge owing to sympathy. She’s also banking on this month’s results in the Panchayati Raj Institutions elections in which the Congress-supported candidates did particularly well in the tribal-dominated areas that fall in the Mandi constituency.
The main contest in Mandi is between the BJP and the Congress.
Her husband, Virbhadra Singh, who devoted over 50 years for the common people despite being born in royalty, had travelled across the state, both as an MP and the Chief Minister.
The veteran leader passed away on July 8 in Shimla at the age of 87, leaving behind a rich political legacy.
Her husband was elected from Mandi in 1971, 1980 and 2009. However, Virbhadra Singh lost the Mandi seat in 1977. At the time of his death, he was representing the Arki Assembly seat that is going for bypoll along with two other Assembly seats — Fatehpur (in Kangra district) and Jubbal-Kotkhai (Shimla district) — on October 30.
However, BJP candidate Brigadier Thakur in his maiden contest is banking on his integrity and connect with voters.
The Mandi constituency, which includes Kullu, Mandi and some areas of Chamba and Shimla districts, besides the tribal-dominated Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti, is one of the biggest in the country.
The Murrah buffalo farm will be equipped with scientific waste management and rainwater harvesting facilities and a fodder farm…reports Asian Lite News.
The Himachal Pradesh government will be setting up a Central-funded Murrah buffalo farm with an outlay of Rs 506.45 lakh for genetic upgradation and dairy extension services, state Animal Husbandry Minister Virender Kanwar said on Sunday.
The breeding farm, which will produce the high quality fertile and disease-free bovine stock, will be set up by the Himachal Pradesh Livestock and Poultry Development Board in Burnoh in Una district.
The Murrah buffalo is the most preferred choice of many dairy farmers.
The Minister said the aim of the farm is to produce high yielding calves to enhance the overall milk production.
The native Murrah breed, nationally recognized as an indigenous by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources in Karnal, is of its distinct characteristics and constitutes 359,979 (55 per cent) of the total 646,565 buffalo population in the state.
The state will set up three ultra-modern sheds at an initial cost of Rs 75 lakh to rear 50 high-genetic buffaloes, comprising 30 adult and 20 heifers.
The freshly calved high pedigreed 30 adult female buffaloes in first or second lactation and 20 disease-free heifers will be purchased from government farms.
The state will high grade semen to farmers and the surplus will be supplied to neighbouring states — Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh — to meet the growing demand, said Kanwar.
The Murrah buffalo farm will be equipped with scientific waste management and rainwater harvesting facilities and a fodder farm.
To reduce the operational cost of farms, own forage and silage preparation from green fodder crops will be practiced, said the minister.
The fodder production will be undertaken with a cost of Rs 15 lakh to reduce the cost of rearing the animals so as to make the project economically viable and the dung is to be used as organic fertilizer manure for green fodder cultivation.
Surplus green fodder is proposed to be utilized for silage production to be used in lean periods, he added.
The Chief Minister added that the ropeways and other unconventional modes of transportation are not defined separately under specific entry of GST schedules…reports Asian Lite News.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has urged the Centre that the rate of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on ropeways and other unconventional modes of transportation be reduced to five from 18 per cent.
In a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Chief Minister apprised her that the state has taken a decision to use the ropeways for transportation of passengers and goods throughout the state.
“The objective behind this decision is to connect the left-out inhabitants where construction of roads is not environmentally and economically feasible. It also aims at connecting new places of tourist attraction and exploring new opportunities from tourism point of view for employment generation and economic growth of the state,” said the letter.
“Yet another objective is to provide first and last mile connectivity as per the requirement across the state.”
Thakur said the state government has created ropeways and Rapid Transportation System Development Corporation under the Transport Department as a single nodal agency for laying the ropeways and other mass rapid transportation systems.
“Therefore, the ropeways would not act merely as the tourist attraction but would also help providing sustainable means of transport in rural areas, besides considerably solving the traffic congestion in those areas,” he said.
The Chief Minister added that the ropeways and other unconventional modes of transportation are not defined separately under specific entry of GST schedules.
The scheme is now a demand-driven initiative that enables the youth to benefit from the national and international employment opportunities…reports Asian Lite News.
The placement-linked skill training programme — Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana — is proving to be a boon for the poor rural youth in Himachal Pradesh as it enabled to train 5,320 people and provide employment to 3,021 in various sectors, officials said on Monday.
The scheme is nurturing skills, besides providing employment opportunities. It aims to transform the poor rural youth into an economically independent and globally relevant workforce.
With the successful implementation of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana, the government has fixed a target to provide training to 22,000 youths till 2023. The beneficiaries have received jobs within the state and neighbouring states too, an official statement said.
The scheme is now a demand-driven initiative that enables the youth to benefit from the national and international employment opportunities.
The youth in the age group of 15-35 years and the physically challenged, women and other weaker sections up to the age of 45 years are covered under the scheme that has an outcome led design with guaranteed placements for at least 70 per cent trained candidates.
There is a provision of free training, ranging from three to 12 months, along with hostel facilities.
One year training is provided in apparel, hospitality, beautician, sewing machine operator, baking, storage operator, spa, unarmed security guard, electrician domestic, sales associate, accounting, banking sales representative and computer hardware assistant trades.
Akshay Kumar of village Kachiyari in Kangra district availed the benefit of the scheme and improved the socio-economic conditions of his family.
Likewise, Kamlesh of Kashapat village in Rampur tehsil of Shimla district. Due to financial constraints they were not able to complete their education. Now both have become self-reliant.
There are scores of others who availed the benefit of the scheme and skilled themselves in getting employment, an official said.
In his Budget speech, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had announced that 1,000 candidates will be trained in traditional arts of metal, stone and wood craft under Mukhya Mantri Gram Kaushal Yojana and 1,000 beneficiaries will be provided job placement under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana in 2021-22.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday virtually interacted with healthcare workers and beneficiaries of the state’s vaccination programme…Vishal Gulati.
With authorities now gearing up to complete the coronavirus vaccination of all above 18 by November 30, tough Himalayan terrain and inclement weather conditions in Himachal Pradesh didn’t deter healthcare workers and local authorities to become country’s first state of giving the first dose of vaccine to all eligible people.
Even authorities had to face an uphill task in the naturally secluded Malana village, known for Malana cream, the most sought-after forms of hashish across the globe in the far end of Parvati Valley in Kullu district, where locals had not been allowing the ‘outsiders’ to enter their area since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.
Elsewhere, Tribals, mainly Buddhists, settled in the Spiti Valley spread over the Himalayan peaks, have set an example for others in the country by demonstrating that vaccination is the only route out of this pandemic.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday virtually interacted with healthcare workers and beneficiaries of the state’s vaccination programme.
He complemented the state under the leadership of Chief Minister Jairam Thakur for setting a benchmark in the fight against Covid-19 by giving the first dose of vaccine to all eligible people.
Interacting with Prime Minister Modi, Dr. Rahul, who is posted in the Shimla district’s remotest Civil Hospital in Dodra Kwar, said the area comprising small, scattered villages, remains cut off owing to heavy snow accumulation for five-six months in a year.
“The communication network in the entire Dodra Kwar area was a major challenge, resulting in much delay in registering the beneficiaries on the Co-WIN app. An advance team of accredited social health activists (ASHA) and Anganwadi workers were sent to rope in the locals for the next day’s vaccination. This helps minimising vaccine wastage,” he said.
Health staff had to traverse at least eight to 10 hours on foot from the nearest road heads to the remotest hamlet for the vaccination programme. Sometimes they had to register the beneficiaries on the Co-WIN app the next day of the vaccine.
Modi said 10 per cent of the expenditure can be saved if all 11 shots in a single vial are used while administering vaccines.
Belonging to the Rann of Kutch, the salt marsh located in the Thar desert in Gujarat, Dr. Rahul apprised Modi about the challenges he faced with his posting in one of the remotest places in the country.
Interestingly, the locals in the landlocked Dodra Kwar have never used pesticides and fertilisers for growing crops. They are largely shepherds and keep on migrating for pasture of livestock.
ASHA worker Nirmal Devi apprised the Prime Minister about the challenges they faced in convincing the people of Malana, where the banned cannabis is the source of prime livelihood.
Officials said that till May not even a single Covid-19 case was reported from Malana. Also, not a single person in the village was inoculated.
Also the health workers were barred from entering the village as the locals consider outsiders untouchable.
Nirmal Devi said with the permission from the local deity, Lord Jamlu, they were allowed to meet the locals and to convince them to go for inoculation.
Malana village, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, is located 45 km from Kullu town. Its nearest road is seven km down the hill that was constructed in 2007.
Before the road, the village, nestled at 2,700 meters (8,859 feet), is accessible only through three passes — Jari, Rashol and Chandrakhani — which can be traversed only on foot with at least three overnight stays through breathtaking snow-capped mountains, lush forests and the rugged landscapes.
During the vaccination drive, the health workers had to trudge at least six hours to reach Malana.
A senior doctor, requesting anonymity, told that since the locals don’t interact freely with outsiders, even with the inhabitants living in the nearby areas, it was somehow difficult to access the exact situation there regarding the viral epidemiology.
Modi in his address talked about the Malana inhabitants, who proclaim themselves as descendants of Alexander the Great, and have their own democratic ‘government’.
Modi also praised nurse Karmo Devi, who has to her credit of inoculating 22,500 people despite suffering a fracture in her leg while on duty. She was advised four-week rest but after eight days of rest she joined the duty and worked even on government holidays.
Nawang Upashak, a resident of remote Buddhist-dominated Lahaul-Spiti district, said local spiritual leaders played an important role in convincing the people to go for vaccines.
“His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s videos of getting a jab of vaccine played an important role in motivating his followers in Lahaul-Spiti to go for inoculation to save their lives from the virus,” he said.
Upashak told Modi that the last year’s inaugurated Atal Tunnel had given a boost to the tourism sector in the tribal district with 700-800 residents having sought an approval to open homestays.
In his address, Modi said Himachal Pradesh has become a champion by being the first state to administer the first dose of vaccine to all eligible people despite logistic difficulties.
“It became the first state to vaccinate 100 per cent of its eligible population with the first dose and one-third of the population with the second dose.”
Amid the pandemic, he said, Himachal Pradesh has become one of the favourite destinations among youngsters to continue work in ‘work from home’ mode.
After Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Dadra and Nagar Haveli have vaccinated 100 per cent of their population with the first dose of the vaccines. “More states are about to fully vaccinate their population with the first dose.”
Union Minister Anurag Thakur, BJP national President J.P. Nadda and Chief Minister Jairam Thakur were present during Modi’s interaction with healthcare workers and vaccination beneficiaries via video conferencing.
The state has set a target of inoculating the first dose of vaccine to 53.77 lakh people but vaccinated 55.06 lakh. So far, 72 lakh people have got both the doses of the vaccine.
Officials said health workers were provided with a state-run helicopter to reach the remotest hamlet Bara Bhangal in Kangra district for the vaccination programme.
Otherwise, the journey on foot for Bara Bhangal, part of the Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary that remains cut off from the rest of the world for over six months due to heavy snow, is 65 km from the last village that is connected by road.
Bara Bhangal has a population of around 400. During winters, most of them migrate to Bir village in Baijnath tehsil, near Palampur town, some 250 km from state capital Shimla.
Over 100 people of Bara Bhangal were inoculated.
Elsewhere, the entire elderly population — those above 60-years-old — in 13 panchayats of Kaza subdivision, a cold desert adjoining Tibet where there is shortage of health infrastructure, is now fully vaccinated. Those above 45-years-old have been provided the first vaccine dose.
The world’s highest post office, Hikkam, located 15,000 feet above sea level and its nearby villages of Komik and Langche were among the worst hit in the first wave of the pandemic last year.
State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said that 15 people have been rescued and 13 bodies recovered…reports Asian Lite News.
The wreckage of the bus that fell into a 500-metre deep gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district following a massive landslide was recovered on Thursday morning, rescuers said. Fifteen people lost their lives so far, while 20 others were still missing.
A rescue operation involving multiple agencies was underway to retrieve over 20 people feared trapped in the 200-m stretch covered with rubble.
The landslide on Tuesday buried a truck, a state roadways bus, and other vehicles that occurred over a stretch of the Shimla-Reckong Peo highway near Nigulsari, some 180 km from the state capital.
“Wreckage of the bus found by ITBP troops of 17, 18 and 43 Battalions at first light (0525 Hrs) at approximately 500 metres below the road and 200 meters above Sutlej river. One more dead body retrieved. Total 11 dead bodies retrieved till now,” the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said in a tweet.
State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said that 15 people have been rescued and 13 bodies recovered.
He said the highway is still closed for the traffic.
Local legislator Jagat Singh Negi visited the spot and inspected the rescue operation involving the ITBP, local authorities, the Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus was on its way to Haridwar from Rekong Peo via Shimla. Its driver and conductor escaped unhurt.
Relatives of the missing bus passengers approached the local authorities to know about their whereabouts. Most of the victims belong to Kinnaur district.
“A few boulders started rolling down just ahead of the disaster. Sensing trouble, I ran towards the other side and managed to save myself,” a survivor said.
Witnesses said the administration had a tough time extricating the victims from the badly-mangled bus.
It took hours for rescuers to climb down the mountain and bring up the bodies. Even the rainfall and time and again landslips on Tuesday hampered the rescue operation, police officials said.
Kinnaur is one of remotest places in the state and scarcity and low frequency of passenger buses in the district leads to overcrowding of the vehicles.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Thakur and assured him of all possible help.
This is the second major natural disaster in Kinnaur in less than a month. Nine people, most of them tourists, were killed by a landslide as boulders fell and hit the vehicle they were travelling in on July 25.
This monsoon also caused major landslides in the state’s Kangra district, claiming 10 lives. Terrifying videos capturing massive landslides in Sirmaur district are common these days.
Seven people died in the exceptionally high rainfall across the cold desert of Lahaul-Spiti district on July 27-28.
Keylong and Udaipur subdivision of the district faced 12 incidents of flash flood after a cloudburst, in which the Tozing Nallah’s impact was devastating.
