Himachal Diary: CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu gets pat from World Bank
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was appreciated by the World Bank for effectively managing the recent landslides and flashfloods triggered by incessant rains in the state. Auguste Tano Kouame, Country Director for India, conveyed the WB’s appreciation in a letter, lauding the CM’s leadership abilities to deal with the natural calamity effectively. The letter acknowledged the timely and responsive measures taken by Sukhu, including personal monitoring and ensuring safe return of tourists stranded in different parts of the state. Sukhu, who personally monitored the relief and rescue operations, especially in Chandertal and Kullu-Manali, sitting through the night was widely lauded by stranded tourists as well as locals on social media.
Jai Ram’s advice to Vikramaditya
Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had a piece of advice for PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh, who has lately been making headlines with his utterances, causing discomfiture to his own party. “All I want to tell him is that you could be from a very illustrious background but do respect others who could be from humble background. Don’t react on everything as one must speak sensibly and less,” remarked Thakur when asked about the young minister’s remarks on him. Not willing to join issues with Vikramaditya, the former CM said the minister’s own Cabinet colleagues have called him immature. He first speaks then he later takes a U-turn. So it is better if he thinks and then speaks, he added.
Drone use fails curb mining
Drone cameras worth lakhs and thousands of close circuit cameras installed in the bordering Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial belt by various agencies have failed to curb illegal mining. At least, this is the impression one gets as there is no end to the cases of illegal mining. A delegation of villagers that travelled to Solan to complaint about the illegal operations in their vicinity rued that the vehicles carrying illegal quarry material cross the border with impunity even as CCTVs installed outside several educational institutes capture them daily. Besides causing loss to the state exchequer, illegal mining also damages bridges, water supply schemes and arable land. Officials are, however, content blaming each other for the nefarious activity.
Contributed by Pratibha Chauhan and Ambika Sharma
