05:44 AM
Wednesday - June 18, 2025
Weather: 
20°C
REGD.-HP-09-0015257
05:44 AM
Wednesday - June 18, 2025
Weather: 20°C
REGD.-HP-09-0015257
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Contractors Threaten Gherao of Chief Secretary’s Office as Treasury Freeze Stalls Approved Payments
Call it ‘financial emergency’; allege illegal control over state funds by Finance Department
Mandi/Shimla, June 17:
Tempers are flaring in Himachal Pradesh as contractors across the state have threatened to gherao the Chief Secretary’s office, accusing the Finance Department of illegally freezing the Treasury and withholding approved payments.
They allege that despite budget allocations being cleared for the current financial year, the department is deliberately blocking funds — pushing contractors, suppliers, and development projects to the brink.
“The government’s own approved budget is lying locked in the treasury, but payments are being stalled without any official order.
This is nothing short of a financial emergency,” said Keshav Naik, president of the Contractor Welfare Association, Himachal Pradesh, warning of a statewide economic shutdown if payments aren’t released immediately.
According to Naik, Treasury Officers across districts have received verbal orders not to clear bills, despite departments submitting all required paperwork in time.
He said many contractors are now staring at loan defaults and NPA notices as payments for completed government projects remain stuck for months.
“The Finance Department is no longer a facilitator; it’s behaving like a controller. It has violated the sanctity of the Treasury and undermined the state legislature’s authority,” Naik alleged.
What’s Going Wrong:
Crores of rupees sanctioned in the 2024–25 budget are lying unspent due to an unofficial freeze.
Bills passed by various departments have not been cleared for payment.
Several ongoing and completed public projects are held up due to cash flow disruption.
Contractors, suppliers, and even departmental officers are facing financial uncertainty.
They say this violates the basic principles of fiscal discipline. Under normal circumstances, once the Assembly approves a budget, the Finance Department’s role is to ensure timely release — not to block it unilaterally.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the state’s financial health, with many asking:
Has Himachal Pradesh slipped into a silent financial crisis — one the government refuses to admit?
As the deadlock continues, trade associations, contractor unions, and suppliers are rallying for action.
If the Treasury blockade is not lifted within days, they plan to shut down economic activity across the state and lay siege to the top bureaucratic office.
#TreasuryFreeze #HimachalContractorsProtest #FinanceDepartmentRow
Shimla — In a judgment offering hope to senior citizens fighting for long-denied rights, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled in favour of an 83-year-old petitioner, allowing her claim for family pension that was pending since 1999.
The court quashed the impugned order dated August 17, 1999, and directed the concerned authorities to consider her application under Rule 50(10) of the Pension Rules, which entitles parents to family pension after the remarriage of a widow.
Despite a delay of over two decades, the High Court found merit in the petition, citing the principle of "continuing wrong" — an exception to the rule that normally rejects delayed service-related claims.
Justice Sandeep Sharma, who authored the judgment, observed that in pension-related matters, where no third-party rights are disturbed, relief may be granted even after a long delay.
The court, however, restricted the arrears of pension to three years preceding the filing of the writ petition, following well-established jurisprudence that allows recovery of dues only for a limited past period in cases of recurring wrongs.
In another connected ruling, the Court held that a termination, in essence a voluntary retirement under Rule 31 of the 1995 Pension Rules, also qualifies for pension benefits.
The appellant, in that case, has been given the option to refund the provident fund contributions with interest or get the amount adjusted against the pension arrears, which must be paid within a month.
Taking note of the petitioner’s advanced age and prolonged struggle for justice, the court instructed the respondents to expedite the decision-making process within six weeks, ensuring a fair hearing.
The authorities are also required to file compliance by July 22, 2025.
This judgment comes as a ray of hope for many senior citizens across the state still waiting for resolution of their long-pending pension disputes.
#SeniorCitizensJustice #PensionRights #HighCourtRelief
Shimla, June 17, 2025:
With water levels rising steadily in the Satluj River, SJVN (Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam) has begun releasing surplus water from the Nathpa Dam to manage the increasing inflow. This move comes as part of precautionary measures during the ongoing monsoon season.
Why the Warning?
The water level at Nathpa Dam is now close to its maximum limit — hovering around 1,493 meters.
To avoid any overflow or risk to the dam structure, engineers have opened gates to release excess water into the river.
SJVN’s Appeal to the Public
Stay away from the riverbanks. Sudden surges in water flow can be dangerous.
Maintain a safe distance. Especially in low-lying areas near the Satluj.
Don’t take chances. The flow of the river is unpredictable at the moment.
Nathpa-Jhakri is a major hydropower station on the Satluj River, generating 1,500 MW of electricity.
Every year, glacier melt and rains lead to increased water flow into the dam, making controlled releases necessary.
In the past, sudden water discharges from Himalayan dams have caused tragic accidents — so this time, the release is being handled with extra caution.
Official Word
“Due to rising inflows, extra water is being discharged from Nathpa Dam. We request all citizens to avoid going near the Satluj River and maintain proper distance for their safety.”
— Public advisory by SJVN, Nathpa-Jhakri Project
What You Should Do
Avoid walking, fishing, or grazing animals near the river.
Spread the message to people living or working along the Satluj.
Keep following alerts from local administration and SJVN’s official platforms.
Shimla soaked in heavy rain; Met department warns of more showers — Farmers, tourists told to stay alert in Himachal
Shimla, June 17: The Queen of Hills woke up to heavy rain Tuesday morning, with the IMD recording 42.7 mm of rainfall in Shimla by 8:30 am.
And that's just the start — the Meteorological Department has issued a fresh alert for more showers across Himachal Pradesh over the next 24 to 48 hours, urging farmers and tourists to stay cautious.
According to the latest bulletin from the Meteorological Centre, Shimla, upper air cyclonic circulations over Punjab and adjoining areas, combined with a Western Disturbance active north of latitude 26°N, are likely to trigger widespread rainfall, especially in central and western parts of the state.
Besides Shimla, significant rainfall was recorded at:
Una – 52 mm
Kasauli – 52 mm
Bilaspur – 38.6 mm
Solan – 13.2 mm
Palampur – 14.2 mm
Manali – 20 mm
Bhuntar – 24.8 mm
Kufri – 18 mm
Seobagh – 18 mm
Sarahan – 25.5 mm
The lowest minimum temperature in the state was recorded at Kukumseri (8.9°C), while Hamirpur sizzled at 38.2°C, the highest maximum temperature, reflecting the wide variation in conditions across the state.
Farmers are advised to:
Avoid spraying pesticides or fertilizers during this period, as expected rainfall may wash them away.
Ensure drainage in fields to prevent waterlogging.
Secure harvested crops stored in the open.
Tourists and trekkers, especially those heading to Kullu-Manali, Lahaul-Spiti, Dalhousie, and higher reaches like Kufri and Sarahan, are urged to check weather forecasts regularly and avoid riverbanks and landslide-prone zones.
While no snowfall has been reported from any station, visibility and road conditions in the upper hills may deteriorate quickly due to moderate to heavy rainfall.
The IMD has categorized today’s rainfall in Shimla, Una, Kasauli, and Bilaspur as moderate, with more showers likely by evening.
Any further escalation in rainfall could push some pockets into the heavy rainfall category (64.5–115.5 mm), which may trigger flash floods or landslides, particularly in Kullu, Chamba, Mandi, and Solan districts.
Stay tuned to official IMD handles on Twitter and Facebook for live updates.
Note to locals and visitors: Don’t take mountain weather lightly — plan your routes carefully and heed all advisory warnings.
DEHRADUN: As yet another tragic helicopter crash claimed seven lives near Kedarnath last week —coinciding with the somber 12th anniversary of the 2013 Kedarnath disaster—a chorus of outrage is rising from citizens, civil society groups, and safety advocates in Uttarakhand.
The state has now seen five helicopter accidents in just six weeks, sparking urgent calls to ground all helicopter operations on the Char Dham Yatra route until adequate infrastructure and oversight mechanisms are put in place.
Leading the charge is Anoop Nautiyal of the SDC Foundation, who has written to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), demanding a complete suspension of helicopter services for the remainder of this year’s Yatra season.
“This time must be used to build proper infrastructure and ensure that no more lives are lost due to negligence and unregulated operations,” he said.
In a strongly-worded statement, Nautiyal has also tagged the Prime Minister’s Office on social media, drawing national attention to the crisis.
His message was amplified in a special segment on NDTV India titled "Aasman Se Barasati Mauton Ka Zimmedar Kaun?" where he criticized what he described as a "systemic collapse and absolute lack of management" in overseeing helicopter operations.
Flying Blind in the Himalayas
Uttarakhand’s treacherous mountain terrain and unpredictable weather demand the highest aviation standards. But according to Nautiyal and other observers, the current state of affairs is alarmingly reckless.
“There is no air traffic control (ATC), no radar coverage, no real-time weather monitoring, and yet helicopters are flying like Ubers—taking off and landing every 2-3 minutes in narrow valleys,” Nautiyal warned.
“This is not air transport, it’s aerial roulette.”
Despite a government circular issued just days before the latest crash—stipulating a cap on the number of passengers to avoid overloading—the ill-fated helicopter on June 15 was reportedly carrying six passengers, in violation of the new norms.
Chasing Records at the Cost of Lives?
Critics say the state’s obsession with breaking pilgrimage footfall records is leading to disastrous compromises in safety. “The focus has to shift from chasing meaningless numbers to ensuring safety, professionalism, preparedness, and a culture of accountability,” Nautiyal said.
He further stressed that pilots are being pushed to fly in conditions that would be considered unacceptable elsewhere, often with minimal visibility, changing weather every minute, and no basic infrastructure to support safe operations.
A Call to the DGCA—and the Nation
The SDC Foundation’s letter to the DGCA calls for immediate suspension of heli-operations and demands a safety audit, proper aviation infrastructure, trained air traffic personnel, and real-time weather services before any future flights are allowed.
Many citizens have echoed this sentiment online, demanding that the Char Dham Yatra not become a death trap in the name of convenience and profit.
“Until we create a system that respects the fragility of the Himalayan ecosystem and prioritizes human life over numbers, we are gambling with people’s lives—both in the air and on the ground,” Nautiyal concluded.
As Uttarakhand reels under yet another aviation tragedy, the question remains: Will safety finally take precedence, or will sacred journeys continue to be marred by preventable deaths?
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