04:06 PM
Wednesday - June 18, 2025
Weather: 
16°C
REGD.-HP-09-0015257
04:06 PM
Wednesday - June 18, 2025
Weather: 16°C
REGD.-HP-09-0015257
Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s re...
Himachal Erupts: Farmers and Apple Growers Protest...
Shimla, April 25: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder...
Monsoon Gears Up for Himachal: IMD Issues Advisory
Shimla, June 18: The wait for monsoon is almost over for Himachal Pradesh as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced that conditions are becoming favourable for the advancement of the southwest monsoon into many parts of the state over the next 2–3 days.
The hill state is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall till June 19, followed by intensified showers, including isolated heavy to very heavy spells, from June 20 to June 24.
According to Bulletin issued by the Meteorological Centre Shimla, the western disturbance currently lies as a cyclonic circulation over Punjab and neighbouring regions. This, along with favourable synoptic conditions, is expected to enhance rainfall activity across the state.
Rain Forecast Highlights
June 18–19: Light to moderate rainfall likely at few places across the state.
June 20–21: Heavy rain expected at isolated places, mainly in Shimla, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, and Sirmaur.
June 22–23: Himachal may witness heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places, particularly in the low and mid-hill districts.
June 24: Rain activity expected to ease but light to moderate rain likely at many places.
Temperature Trends
Minimum Temperatures: Remain stable over the next two days, expected to drop by 3–4°C thereafter.
Maximum Temperatures: Likely to rise by 2–4°C in the next 48 hours, but a gradual fall of 3–4°C is forecast for the subsequent days due to intensified rainfall.
Rainfall Record
In the past 24 hours, Sundernagar (5 cm) and Bhuntar, Gohar, Mandi, Banjar, Rohru, and others (1–3 cm) received notable rainfall.
The state also experienced a marked fall in day temperatures, with Paonta Sahib recording the highest at 34°C and Keylong the lowest at 9.8°C.
District-level Warnings
From June 20 onwards, districts including Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Shimla, Solan, Mandi, and Sirmaur are on alert for heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places.
The IMD has warned of possible localized landslides, waterlogging, damage to kutcha structures, traffic congestion, and disruption of essential services.
Advisory to Public
Avoid venturing near rivers and nallahs during heavy spells.
Refrain from travel to landslide-prone areas.
Stay updated with local advisories and road conditions.
Follow government alerts strictly during the peak monsoon period.
The IMD bulletin further added that no heat wave, hailstorm, or gusty winds were observed or predicted during this period.
However, residents and tourists have been advised to remain cautious and prepared, especially between June 20 and June 23, when monsoon activity is expected to peak.
#MonsoonAlert #HimachalRains #IMDUpdate
High Court Pulls Up Govt: Firemen Deserve Pay Hike Like Cops, Rules Justice Sandeep Sharma
Shimla: In a ruling that could impact hundreds of firemen in Himachal Pradesh, the High Court directed the state government to reconsider the long-pending demand for pay revision of firemen, putting them on par with police constables.
Justice Sandeep Sharma, while allowing a petition filed by Jogi Ram Bhardwaj—currently serving as a fireman—criticised the government for denying revised pay scales to firemen despite a 2012 notification revising pay for several Class-III posts, including constables.
The court held that since both firemen and constables share the same basic educational qualification (10+2), and in fact firemen require additional specialised training, there was no logic in denying them the same financial benefits.
The judge made it clear that “there appears to be no reason to deny similar benefit of pay revision to the category of fireman, who discharge responsibilities comparable to those of constables.”
What’s the case?
The petitioner was initially appointed as a fireman on contract in 2012 and was regularised in 2020.
Since then, he’s been drawing a pay scale of Rs 5,910–20,200 with a grade pay of Rs 1,900.
But he claimed that he was entitled to the upgraded pay scale of Rs 10,300–34,800 with a grade pay of Rs 3,200—as per a government notification issued on September 27, 2012.
Interestingly, the Director General-cum-Director, Fire Services, in a letter dated September 5, 2022, had already recommended to the Principal Secretary (Home) that firemen be treated at par with constables in terms of pay structure.
The communication noted that not only do both posts share similar qualifications, but firemen also undergo two additional 60-day training modules, making their recruitment criteria tougher.
Despite this, no action had been taken by the government so far.
What the Court Said
Referring to several Supreme Court rulings, Justice Sharma stated that while courts generally do not interfere in pay scale matters—which fall under the executive domain—they must intervene when a decision appears "unjust, unreasonable, and prejudicial" to a group of employees.
He also cited a previous case (CWP No. 1007 of 2019—Bhagat Ram vs. State of HP) where the High Court had asked the government to consider the rising cost of living while deciding on pay revisions for similarly placed employees.
Justice Sharma observed that the firemen had clearly demonstrated functional parity with constables.
“Once pay revision is ordered taking note of various factors, especially rise in price index, the same factor would apply in the case of firemen,” he ruled.
Court’s Direction to Govt
The High Court has now directed the Principal Secretary (Home), Himachal Pradesh, to act on the 2022 recommendation of the Fire Services Director within three weeks and consider firemen for pay revision as per the 2012 notification.
If found eligible, firemen will be entitled to revised pay retrospectively from the applicable due date.
#EqualPay #HimachalHighCourt #FiremanDeserveParity
Chief’s Chintan: Former Army Chiefs Join Hands with COAS Gen Upendra Dwivedi to Shape the Future Force Post Operation SINDOOR
New Delhi, Manekshaw Centre – In a rare and significant gathering of military minds, the Indian Army hosted “Chief’s Chintan” — an interaction between the current Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi, and former Chiefs of the Army Staff (CsOAS), aimed at harnessing decades of strategic wisdom to steer the force into the future.
Held in the aftermath of the recently conducted Operation SINDOOR, the session focused on drawing lessons from joint operations and their long-term strategic ramifications.
The event took place at the iconic Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, symbolising continuity and resolve in India’s military leadership.
The highlight of the interaction was a comprehensive briefing on Operation SINDOOR, an exercise that has been lauded for its demonstration of jointness, interoperability, and precision.
General Dwivedi underscored the importance of collective reflection and innovation in evolving the Indian Army into a more agile, tech-driven, and future-ready force.
Former Chiefs brought to the table a range of perspectives — from organisational reforms to technology absorption — resonating with national visions like #AtmaNirbharBharat and #ViksitBharat.
Their contributions are expected to feed directly into policy and planning as the Army navigates the #DecadeofTransformation.
This unique initiative, under the theme of #YearofTechAbsorption, reaffirms the Indian Army's commitment to staying at the forefront of modern warfare by combining operational experience with visionary leadership.
The event also marked a rare alignment of institutional memory with forward-looking strategy, bridging the past and present to forge a stronger, self-reliant, and tech-savvy Indian Army.
Later, Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi along with former Chiefs of Army Staff General VP Malik, General NC Vij, General JJ Singh, General Deepak Kapoor, General Bikram Singh and General Manoj Pande called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
#IndianArmy #COAS #OperationSINDOOR #DefenceLeadership
@DefenceMinIndia
@SpokespersonMoD
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
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