City page for November 4

Weather

Forecast: Weather will remain mainly dry in the plains and middle hills, rain/snow at isolated places in the high hills

Sunrise: 6:39 am, Sunset: 17.31 pm

Temperatures:

Shimla: 20 (max), 6.7 (min),

Dharamshala: 20.4 (max), 11.2 (min)

Manali: 13 (max), 3.2 (min)

Readers Say

Chanog-Paoghatti road in deplorable condition

The condition of the Chanog-Paoghatti road near Jubbarhatti airport is in a deplorable condition. Commuters have complained that they face a harrowing time travelling on the road full of potholes. A large number of people from the Chanog Gram Panchayat commute daily to Shimla for work. Students also use the road to attend their schools. It is high time that the authorities concerned repair the roads as the monsoon is also over. Ramesh Thakur, Chanog

Huge crowds in market fuel fear of Covid spike

The huge crowds in the market on Dhanteras and for general Diwali shopping can result in a spike in Covid cases. Himachal is already registering an average of 200 cases daily with three to four deaths. The district administration must take steps to streamline the crowds by making one-way movement in the markets or we will have to face the third wave of the pandemic. Sunita Sharma, Shimla

Education note

CRPF personnel get tips in horticulture

A two-day practical training-cum-exposure visit of the Central Reserve Police Personnel (CRPF) from CRPF-TOT School, Dharampur, was organised by the Directorate of Extension Education of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni. The trainees were imparted theoretical and practical knowledge on nursery raising and propagation techniques such as budding and grafting, high-density plantations, time and methods of manure, fertiliser and micronutrient application in fruit crops. Information on pruning and training practices in pome fruits, importance and scope of value addition in fruit crops, and natural farming in vegetable crops was also shared. The scientists also laid special emphasis on training the police personnel on general gardening and how to make dry flower products. Dr Divender Gupta, Director of Extension Education of the university, said the training would be helpful to the trainees in their day-to-day life and also make the CRPF campus beautiful.

SFI protests irregularities in PhD entrance exam

The Students Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest at the Evening College, Shimla, against the irregularities in PhD entrance exam of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU). The SFI activists alleged that admissions were being given to those close to the higher ups without clearing the NET, JRF and entrance exam. They said rules were being circumvented to extend undue benefit to the teachers of HPU. SFI campus secretary Amit said HPU was playing with the future of deserving and meritorious students by denying them a fair chance to get admission into PhD. The activists who raised slogans against the administration demanded cancellation of these admissions.