Himachal Pradesh Weekly - Green Hydrogen, Stray Cattle Menace & Paragliding Safety
Feb 2025 Week I - A comprehensive round up of all the updates from the pahari region
Infrastructure & Economy
Himachal Pradesh laid the foundation for North India's first green hydrogen plant in Nalagarh, a ₹9.04 crore 1MW plant by HPPCL and Oil India. Set for completion in a year, it will produce 423 kg of green hydrogen daily to support the state's green energy goals by 2026.
New projects & funding: Government has secured approval from NABARD for projects worth ₹903.21 crore. A ₹100 crore beautification project for Shri Naina Devi Ji temple and a ₹6 crore tourist facility at the Atal Tunnel’s South Portal has also been approved. The central government allocated Rs 2,716 crore for railway projects in Himachal Pradesh in the 2025-26 budget
The state reported construction of 1,376 kilometers of roads and 116 bridges in the past two years focused on enhancing connectivity to remote regions.
The launch of 'Swachh Shehar Samridh Shehar' program with Citizen Service Portal aims to enhance urban governance. The portal offers services like trade licenses, property tax management, and grievance redressal.
Taradevi-Shoghi region has been included in Shimla's green zones, increasing the total number of such areas to 26, emphasizing environmental conservation.
A simplified registration process for natural farming has been launched to enroll farmers. The state procured 398.976 MT of naturally grown maize from 1,508 farmers at ₹30 per kg, the highest MSP in the country.
Women empowerment & e-commerce - Himachal Pradesh's e-commerce platform, Himira, has empowered nearly 30,000 Self Help Group women by expanding their market reach, with over 1,050 orders delivered nationwide. The platform offers around 30 products, boosting incomes, with some women seeing earnings rise from Rs 1,000 to Rs 20,000 monthly.
38th National Games - Himachal Pradesh's women's kabaddi team became the first team to win a third consecutive gold medal .Five boxers, including three women, won medals in Uttarakhand, notably none of them had trained in the state due to a lack of infrastructure.
Environmental Concerns
The state continues to face a water crisis due to an ~84% rainfall deficit in Jan 2025, causing drought-like conditions concerning both wheat and apple crops. Drinking water, and irrigation are also impacted, with some areas rationing water. Unseasonably warm winters further strain groundwater and surface water sources.
The government is reviewing encroachments on forest land. Implementation of the Forest Rights Act remains slow, putting forest-dependent communities at risk.
A master plan is being prepared for the eco-sensitive zone around Col Sher Jung National Park, curbing polluting activities within an 8.064 km radius. Additionally, a Rs 30,000 penalty was imposed on a hydro-power company for damaging forest resources. The National Green Tribunal also formed a committee to investigate air pollution caused by an Adani-owned cement plant.
Snowfall in Shimla region has declined by 37% between 1990 and 2020, impacting soil moisture and apple production. The average temperature in Himachal Pradesh has risen by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius over the past century.
In 2024, Himachal reported the highest number of casualties from natural disasters in India, with 408 deaths, out of a total of 2,936 deaths nationwide. The disasters also led to the loss of 7,110 cattle and damaged 1,089 houses in Himachal Pradesh. The state suffered losses worth ₹10,000 crore due to natural calamities.
Leopard sightings from Hamirpur and Dhaulasidh, have raised safety concerns after attacks on livestock.
Paragliding safety & Bir-Billing - Tandem flights at Bir-Billing have been suspended for seven days as pilots work to improve safety protocols due to a rise in accidents. Pilots plan to operate under a single union, limiting flights to two per day in winter and three in summer. Three paragliding deaths have occurred this year, highlighting the risks. The new regulations aim to protect Bir-Billing's reputation as a premier paragliding site, while also addressing safety concerns and improving the overall experience.
A revised green tax is also being implemented to maintain facilities in the area. The Dharamsala aero-sports club is also looking to create a single counter for bookings amidst announcement of no paragliding at Indrunag after 6 pm.
Governance & Social Issues
Allegations of irregularities in hiring for 17 Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha posts have sparked controversy, with the opposition accusing the government of nepotism and demanding cancellations. The Vidhan Sabha Secretariat denies wrongdoing.
In Kullu, three Food Safety Department employees were arrested for taking a ₹1.10 lakh bribe from a hotelier, and another three were caught accepting the same amount at Kullu hospital.
The State Blood Transfusion Council has been defunct for over eight years, causing staff and equipment shortages in blood banks, leading to severe blood supply issues. This crisis risks illegal blood trade and violates Supreme Court rulings.
Stray cattle menace is causing accidents and damaging crops. Locals demand radium reflector belts and government-funded shelters to address the crisis. In Nurpur, a lack of government action has exacerbated the problem with a lack of shelters, and no tagging of the animals. Farmers in Kangra have resorted to tying stray cows in the forest.
The Himachal Pradesh government is introducing a common cadre system for faculty in medical colleges to address redundancies, faculty shortages, and service inconsistencies. However, medical college associations are protesting and warning it may destabilize faculty structures and disrupt institutions.
Theog water supply scam: A multi-crore scam involving irregularities in potable water supply through tankers in Theog has been uncovered.
Bill denying contractual employees benefits: The governor has given assent to a bill that denies contractual employees salary and other benefits on par with regular employees from their date of joining.
Drug menace - continues to be a key theme in the law and order landscape for the state with numerous arrests and seizures reported. Police have arrested multiple individuals for possessing and trafficking drugs, including heroin (chitta), hashish, and cannabis. In one instance, 7.63 grams of chitta were seized from a couple in Palampur. A major drug kingpin was arrested in Punjab, and another kingpin was nabbed in Kullu. Four drug peddlers were arrested in Kangra with nearly 3 kg of hashish and 15.75 grams of chitta. Additionally, 43.06 grams of heroin were recovered from Shimla district. In Mandi, 210 cases under the NDPS Act were registered in 2024, with 271 arrests.
Culture & Education
Cultural events - The Dharamshala Spring Carnival has begun (Feb 7-13) featuring Himachali singers, food stalls, and cultural exhibits, backed by HPTDC. Meanwhile, the Kathakar International Storytelling Festival in Shimla showcased global storytellers, including Mohit Chauhan, to revive storytelling traditions. Its 18th edition was also held in Delhi from Jan 31 to Feb 2.
Fifty meritorious students from Himachal Pradesh began an 11-day academic tour to Cambodia and Singapore, selected for excellence in academics, sports, and culture. The state plans to expand the program to 100 students, including orphans, next year.
IIT Mandi is establishing an extension campus in Palampur, focusing on AI and innovation-driven technologies. The campus will offer specialized courses, aimed at driving local employment and transforming the region into a technology hub.
Kangra's traditional hill architecture is fading due to the high cost of slate roofs and scarcity of skilled labor, with many opting for cheaper, quicker concrete construction. Strict forest laws and the depletion of local resources have made obtaining timber difficult. Quarrying and transporting slate, once common, has also been restricted, making traditional building methods harder to sustain.