City page for January 3

WEATHER

Forecast (January 3): Rain and thundershowers at a few places in the lower hills, rain and snow at many places in the middle and higher hills.

Temperatures:

Shimla: 11.2, 1.7 Degrees Celsius Sunrise: 7:20 am, sunset: 5:31 pm

Dharamsala: 9.8, 2.2 Degrees Celsius

Manali: 11.0, – 1.4 Degrees Celsius

READERS’ SAY

Smoking ban violated

Smoking at public places is prohibited in Himachal and the state has been declared “smoke -free”, but the orders are being flouted with impunity and people are seen smoking in the open. Despite a board installed at the HPU, banning smoking at public places, students can be seen puffing cigarettes everywhere. The government makes policies and laws, but looks the other way when it comes to executing those.Anirudh, a student

Erratic power supply

Power supply to the Gutkar area of Mandi district has been erratic for the past two days. The reason behind it is the ongoing construction work on the Kiratpur-Manali road, which damaged the power structure in the region. The HP State Electricity Board should restore the power supply as soon as possible as residents are suffering.Karan Kumar, Mandi.

EDUCATION NOTEs

10 HP students to interact with PM

Ten students from Himachal will get the opportunity to interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an interactive session “Preeksha pe charcha” at the Tal Katora Stadium in New Delhi on January 20. The students — Daksh, Rikita, Vanshika Sharma, Tushar Thakur, Priyal Sharma, Drishti Chauhan, Shivansh Saroch, Aayush Bhagotra, Ankita Sharma and Triptass — were selected out of 3,925 students on the basis of essay competition on five topics given by MHRD, including “Gratitude is great”, “Your Future depends on your aspirations”, “Examining exam”, “Our duties”, “Our take” and “Balance is beneficial”.

Programme for students

The Una administration has launched the “Una Super-50” programme, under which 50 meritorious students of Class X are being given two-year coaching to crack the engineering entrance examination. A coaching centre has been set up at the Block Resource Centre of the Education Department in Una, while services of a private coaching centre from Ludhiana are being taken for two hours in the evening.

Resentment over delay in results

Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) campus unit of the ABVP has expressed resentment over the inordinate delay in declaring the re-evaluation results of undergraduate courses. “The results were declared in September 2019 and thousands of students filled in forms for re-evaluation in two or more subjects, but even after four months, the results have not been declared,” said Vishal Verma, president of campus unit of the ABVP. The university is bent upon ruining the future of the students as the last date for filling the examination forms for second year is January 10 and in case the students do not pass in re-evaluation, their two years will be wasted. He said a statewide agitation would be launched in case the results were not declared immediately.

Winter holiday camp

A five-day winter holiday camp was organised by Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Himachal Pradesh, in Sai Sanjivni Hospital, Solan. The annual feature attracted 300 students from 12 schools this year. Bal Vikas teachers, Dr Savita Aggarwal and Minaketan Sahu, helped in organising the camp. It was a practical camp, where moral education was taught to children through videos, games, storytelling and discussions. Sister Isabella Agnes, member, Bethany group, and principal, St Luke’s, Solan, presided over the closing ceremony.

SFI submits memorandum

The HPU unit of the SFI has submitted a memorandum to the library in-charge for keeping the library open round the clock. A deputation of the SFI demanded that the earlier notification of December 31, 2019, which stated that the library would remain open from 10 am to 7 pm be cancelled and a fresh notice be issued for keeping the library open 24×7. The demand was accepted and the delegation thanked the library in-charge.

WHAT’S ON

Jan Manch, Panchayat Ghar, Thadi, Shoghi, January 5, 10 am onwards

MLA Priorities Meeting with Chief Minister at conference hall of Armsdale, Secretariat, Shimla, 7 and 8 January, 10.30 am

Shivratri fair to be held in Mandi from February 22 to 28

Change in flight schedule to Kullu

The schedule of Air India flight to Kullu will change from January 3 as flight to Chandigarh will not operate till January 26

Delhi-Bhuntar 08:45

Bhuntar -Delhi 10:50

ENDS