Cricket Fever, Summer Heat, Himachali Flavors: Dharamshala Gears Up for IPL Frenzy

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DHARAMSHALA: Cricket fever is set to collide with the summer heat in the hills, and fans have every reason to cheer!

As Dharamshala preps for the IPL frenzy, cricket lovers escaping the scorching plains can look forward to savoring authentic Himachali cuisine alongside live action at one of India's most scenic stadiums.

The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) is going all out to welcome tourists and cricket buffs. Hotels like Dhauladhar, Kunal, Bhagsu, Kashmir House, and the Club House under HPTDC Dharamshala Complex will serve special Himachali dishes and beverages to give visitors a true taste of the hills.

And for those who can't grab a seat in the stadium, Hotel Dhauladhar’s terrace will feature a giant 4x6 live screening of the matches — ensuring no one misses a single ball.

Ahead of the matches on May 4, 8, and 11, all HPTDC properties have undergone a facelift. Hotel staff have been specially trained, and upgrades to kitchens, lighting, sanitation, and parking facilities have been completed on war footing, following the directions of HPTDC Managing Director Dr. Rajeev Kumar.

Adding more spice to the experience, Hotel Bhagsu is set to launch a full-service bar in time for the IPL season, replacing its earlier beer-only setup.

Private hotels, too, are gearing up for brisk business. With summer vacations beginning and cricket fever in the air, tourists escaping the burning heat of the plains are expected to flock to Dharamshala, packing hotels and restaurants during this prime season.

From May 2 to May 12, the hill town will turn into a lively mix of cricket, cool weather, and Himachali hospitality — a perfect getaway for fans and families .

#Dharamshala #IPL2025 #CricketAndChill #SummerEscape #BeatTheHeat #HimachaliCuisine #TravelIndia #CricketCarnival #DharamshalaHotels #HimachalTourism

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SJVN’s green energy arm, SGEL, has achieved commercial operations for an additional 78.23 MW capacity under the ambitious 1000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project in Rajasthan. With this, the total operational capacity at the site has reached 320 MW, after the earlier commissioning of 241.77 MW on April 2.

Set to be fully operational by Q3 of 2025, the mega solar project will supply clean energy to Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand.

“This project is a shining example of our commitment to India’s green energy goals and the Make in India initiative. We are proud to be contributing to the national mission of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030,” said an SJVN spokesperson.

Being developed under MNRE’s CPSU Scheme Phase II (Tranche III), the project is being implemented under the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) category—giving a major push to indigenous solar manufacturing.

Once fully commissioned, this project will significantly boost India’s clean energy portfolio and aligns with SJVN’s vision of becoming a 25,000 MW company by 2030 and 50,000 MW by 2040.

Bar and Bench

High Court Pulls Up Himachal Govt Over Drug Menace, Seeks Time-Bound Action Plan and Rehab Policy

Wants Rehab Policy Status, NDPS Trends, Panchayat Accountability
Shimla | May 14, 2025:

The Himachal Pradesh High Court today has come down hard on the state government, demanding concrete and time-bound measures to curb the spiraling drug menace.

Acting on a petition filed in CWP No. 83 (D. Khanna vs. State of Himachal Pradesh), the Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia has issued a slew of tough directives, highlighting institutional gaps and calling for a coordinated crackdown.

The Court's directions follow a detailed status report submitted by the Director General of Police on July 26, 2024.

The figures reveal a disturbing trend: up to June 2024 alone, the state registered 878 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, with 1,212 arrests made.

In addition, 77 cases of illegal opium cultivation and one of illegal cannabis cultivation were reported, while wild cannabis spread over 27.05 bighas was destroyed.

To tackle cross-border trafficking, the Court noted the deployment of Himachal Police at a new Inter-State Coordination Centre set up in Panchkula.

It also appreciated the use of technology, including the state’s “Drug Free Himachal” mobile app, which has received 172 citizen tips since its launch.

The CID provided another 147 intelligence inputs in the same period. Specialized training for drug crime investigation is reportedly underway at the Police Training College in Daroh.

But the Court isn’t just stopping at enforcement. It has asked the state to present a district-wise chart of NDPS cases over the past five years (January–December), so the judiciary can assess whether the situation is worsening or improving.

The Court also took note of suggestions filed by the Amicus Curiae, calling for active participation of grassroots officials—Revenue, Forest, and Panchayat authorities—in flagging illegal cannabis cultivation.

The High Court has now asked the government to consider penalizing panchayats that fail to report such activity and rewarding those that proactively curb it.

On the rehabilitation front, the Court pulled up the state for dragging its feet on the “State Policy on Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts”, which, according to an older affidavit, has been under review since 2019.

The government must now file an affidavit clarifying whether the policy has finally been notified.

Additionally, the state must submit full details of all district-level de-addiction centers—including available infrastructure, number of doctors, and supporting staff—to evaluate the reach and readiness of the rehab system.

Seen as a judicial wake-up call, the order is expected to push systemic reforms across the state’s anti-drug machinery.

The matter will now be heard next on May 27, 2025, with the Court expected to closely review the government's compliance and proposed roadmap.

#DrugFreeHimachal #HighCourtAction #RehabReform #AccountabilityNow

Hydro Power

NHPC Management Comes under Fire from State Employees and Voilating High Court Order, Shoots Letter to HP CM Sukhu

NHPC Under Fire for Discriminating Against Himachali Employees, Violates High Court Order...

Kullu/Shimla: The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) — minting crores from five major power projects in Himachal Pradesh — has landed in trouble with its own Himachali employees.

Accusing the corporation of discrimination, the employees have shot off a hard-hitting letter to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, urging him to intervene and protect their rights.

The Parbati Project Employees Union-III union has slammed the NHPC Chairman and Directors for consistently ignoring the interests of Himachali staff.

They allege that while the corporation thrives on the state’s natural resources, locals are being sidelined, punished with arbitrary transfers, and denied fair representation in postings.

The union stated that when a Himachali officer is posted at the Dugar Hydroelectric Project, it is considered a soft posting, and they are denied the Rs 6 lakh hardship allowance that is otherwise given during a four-year tenure.

In contrast, when a non-Himachali officer is posted at the same Dugar Project, it is treated as a hard posting, and they are paid an additional Rs 6 lakh over and above their regular salary.

Blatant Violation of High Court Orders

In a shocking move, NHPC transferred an employee to the under-dispute Dugar Project — despite a clear directive from the Himachal Pradesh High Court to maintain status quo.

The state government had earlier suspended NHPC’s allotment of the Dugar project, following which NHPC approached the High Court.

The matter is sub judice, yet the corporation defied the court by transferring an employee to the same project, violating judicial orders and forcing the employee to bear extra hardship.

Policy Breached, Locals Ignored

NHPC’s own internal guidelines (Clause 3.7) mandate a 50:50 employee ratio between locals and outsiders at every project or office.

However, this norm is reportedly being thrown out the window in Himachal, with outsiders occupying the majority of positions and local employees being shuffled around or ignored.

Further, Clause 3.16 clearly states that an employee posted in their home state should be considered to be on a ‘soft posting’ — i.e., not subject to harsh transfers unless there’s a pressing organizational need.

In practice, though, Himachali staff are allegedly being targeted and pushed into tough locations, in what employees describe as “punishment transfers.”

CM Sukhvinder Sukhu Urged to Step In

The employees’ union has now appealed to the Chief Minister to hold NHPC accountable and ensure that Himachal gets its rightful share — not just in terms of revenue but also in jobs, respect, and compliance with both state interests and legal orders.

The question remains: Will the state government crack the whip on NHPC?

Will the High Court take cognizance of this contempt of court?

And will Himachali employees finally get the justice they’ve long been demanding?

For now, NHPC remains silent — but the anger is loud, and growing.

Sure! Here's the revised ending with four relevant hashtags:

(Note: NHPC's official Response is awaited)

#JusticeForHimachal #NHPCControversy #LocalRightsMatter #CourtOrderViolated

News

An ex-Pak Airforce Employee Tania Parveen Work for LeT

Breaking News: Ex-PAF Employee Tania Parveen Worked for Lashkar, reveals NIA sources to media.

In a major revelation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has exposed that Tania Parveen, recently arrested from West Bengal, was an active member of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

According to the NIA’s investigation, Tania—who previously worked with the Pakistan Air Force—was involved in spreading online radicalisation, recruiting youth, and honey-trapping Indian military personnel.

The probe also found that she was trained by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, and was deeply embedded in several jihadi social media networks.

More details are awaited.

News

Has Himachal Unearthed the World's Oldest Life Fossils — Or Is Dr Arya’s Big Claim Still Awaiting Scientific Scrutiny

SHIMLA: Is Himachal’s soil truly the cradle of the Earth’s earliest life?

That’s the explosive claim made by geologist Dr Ritesh Arya from Kasauli, who says he’s discovered the world’s oldest stromatolite fossils — dating back over 600 million years — in Jolajoran village near Chambaghat, Solan.

The fossils, now featured in the Guinness Book of World Records, are being hailed by Arya as evidence that the Tethys Sea once flowed through present-day Himachal, making it part of Earth’s earliest seabed where microbial life began crafting oxygen — the fuel of all future life.

But as Arya basks in the limelight, the bigger question looms — is this truly the oldest trace of life on Earth, or a premature claim still waiting to pass the test of global scientific scrutiny?

Dr Arya told media that he has submitted the findings to an international scientific jury that independently verifies such geo-discoveries.

Only after rigorous protocol-based dating will the claim gain universal scientific acceptance.

“Back when Earth’s air was toxic and oxygen didn’t exist, these stromatolites were quietly laying the foundation of life.

If not for them, we wouldn’t be breathing today,” said Arya. He believes the Chambaghat fossils show a distinct layering pattern, unlike others he found earlier in Koti (Dharampur), Chitrakoot, and Haryana’s Morni Hills — hinting at different ancient marine conditions.

However, senior geologists and experts are treading with cautious optimism. ONGC GM Dr Jagmohan Singh and Panjab University’s former geology head agree the fossils are scientifically important and conservation-worthy — but stop short of giving a blanket endorsement without further analysis.

Meanwhile, Arya is pushing authorities to declare the site a State Fossil Heritage Site, arguing that it will boost geo-tourism, education, and scientific pride in the region.

“Himachal’s soil may be hiding the ancient script of life itself,” says Arya. But for now, the verdict rests with the scientific jury — and until then, the discovery walks the fine line between historic and hyped.

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Cricket Fever, Summer Heat, Himachali Flavors: Dharamshala Gears Up for IPL Frenzy

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