Alert for heavy rainfall in Himachal on August 10

Shimla: The regional Met office issued an 'orange' warning for heavy to very rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning, at isolated places of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday and a 'yellow' warning for heavy rain till August 15.
It also warned of a low to moderate flash flood risk in isolated parts of Mandi, Bilaspur, Solan, Sirmaur, Shimla and Kullu districts till Saturday.  The weather department also cautioned of the possibility of landslides and flash floods in some places, as well as damage to plantations, crops, vulnerable structures and kutcha houses due to strong winds and waterlogging in low-lying areas.  Since Thursday evening, Jogindernagar in Mandi district recorded the highest rainfall at 160 mm, followed by Dharamshala (112.4 mm), Kataula (112.3 mm), Bharari (98.4 mm), Kandaghat (80 mm), Palampur (78.2 mm), Pandoh (76 mm), Baijnath (75 mm), Kufri (70.8 mm) and Shimla (60.5 mm). The incessant rainfall also led to the closure of 97 roads on Thursday, the State Emergency Operations Centre said.

Himachal  PWD Minister urges quick approval of key projects and swift road repairs

Shimla: Himachal Public Works and Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Friday chaired a review meeting with officials of the PWD and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to discuss the progress of pending Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).  He said that 35 DPRs related to various projects were currently pending with NABARD and emphasized the need to clear these reports promptly and directed officials to expedite all necessary formalities to ensure that work on these projects could get started.  Singh stressed the urgency of speeding up the approval process for these DPRs, which are essential for the timely execution of various infrastructure projects. He underscored that once these projects receive approval, they would play a vital role in the development of both urban and rural areas, which would enhance the quality of life for residents.  While reviewing the repair of roads damaged by the recent rains, the Minister directed authorities to expedite the restoration of critical infrastructure, particularly damaged bridges and roads, which serve as vital lifelines for disaster-affected communities.  The Minister urged officials to prioritize the repair work, ensuring it is completed swiftly and efficiently while adhering to high standards of safety and quality.

Pb Minister issues directives for timely completion of development projects ahead of Punjab local body polls

 Chandigarh:  To ensure timely completion of development projects ahead of the upcoming local body elections, Punjab’s Local Government Minister Balkar Singh on Friday issued stringent directives to Municipal Commissioners and Additional Deputy Commissioners across the State. The directives were delivered during a crucial meeting held at the Municipal Bhawan, focusing on accelerating infrastructure improvements and civic amenities in urban areas.  The Minister highlighted the Punjab Government's commitment to enhance urban infrastructure and services and emphasized the urgency of completing ongoing development projects within the stipulated deadlines to avoid delays that could impact local governance and public satisfaction.  At the same time, the Minister directed the officials to make optimal use of funds from various schemes, including the unutilized amounts from the 15th Finance Commission and Central Government-sponsored initiatives. He also reviewed the balance of funds in the Special Needs Account (SNA) and urged maintaining the highest standards of quality and transparency in all ongoing projects.


SAD demands probe into alleged voter fraud by AAP in SGPC elections

Chandigarh:  Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday called for an urgent high-level probe into what it claimed are deliberate attempts by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Punjab Government to enroll false voters for the upcoming Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections.  In a formal letter to the Gurdwara Elections Commission’s chief commissioner Justice (retired) SS Saron, SAD's senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema expressed deep concern over the misuse of government machinery to manipulate voter rolls.  Cheema SAID the party's Legal Cell had received alarming reports of such activities. One particular incident involved a WhatsApp group, titled ‘Election Supervisor Jagraon’, where senior officers allegedly pressured their subordinates to register fake voters. The group chat, which was forwarded to the Gurdwara Election Commission, included messages from a government employee who raised concerns about the illegality of registering false votes.  The employee pointed out the potential legal repercussions of using someone’s Aadhaar card with an altered Voter Identification card photograph. Instead of addressing these concerns, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Raikot reportedly encouraged the officials to proceed with the illegal registrations, assuring them that any complaints would be routed through him before reaching the Deputy Commissioner. “This indicated that the SDM is passing on a message to his juniors that they should not worry about indulging in this illegal act,” he added.

CM Sukhu launches 1st OTT platform of Himachal

 Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday launched the 1st OTT platform HV Cinema produced by Himachal Pradesh-based production House Himalayan Velocity, Shimla.  The Chief Minister lauded the efforts of the Company for launching this platform and hoped that it would provide an appropriate platform for the Himachali artists to showcase their talents.  He extended his best wishes for their future endeavours. The Managing Director of the company Pushpraj Thakur was also present on the occasion.