True, Himachal Pradesh has seen a bright sun in the past three days, but life remains disrupted in much of the hill state due to over-the-weekend heavy snowfall.
More than half the state remains marooned, as relentless icy cold weather continues unabated. What’s more, there are chances of more snow this weekend. Many pockets of the districts of Shimla, Kullu and Chamba are still rather inaccessible at present, while parts of Sirmaur and Mandi also remain cut off from the rest of the state. As for Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti, the twin tribal districts remain entirely isloated from the rest of the world. There is talk of a helicopter flight with supplies and medicines to Keylong -- but that will happen only if weather permits. Adding to the misery is lack of electricity. In fact, power connection has not been restored in many places. Heavy snow, coupled with blizzards, has snapped power cables in many areas, forcing people to remain in darkness and freezing conditions. Even in the state capital, life has not returned to normal, what with Shimla having received 50 cm of snowfall. Many of the city’s higher parts went without water as well, as pipes got clogged in sub-zero temperature on Wednesday after yet another bone-chilling night.
Further, the voltage of electricity is considerably low, making difficult the of use electrical heaters and other appliances, according to several residents. Traffic has still not been restored in many parts of Shimla, and it is with a lot caution that people are trudging on the icy roads. On a relatively bright side, tourists have started arriving here in large numbers in the last couple of days -- to see the snow in this vintage hill station and surrounding areas.
Manali experienced the coldest night of the season, with mercury dipping to minus 6.6 celsius. The town remains deep under snow.
The winding road to this popular resort town has still not been restored from the rest of the Kullu Valley. In Keylong, headquarters of Lahaul & Spiti, people groaned in cold as the temperature plummeted to minus 15 C. All these have come amid the state government’s tall claims about it being already prepared to tackle the snowfall. Piquantly, it is not as if the administration is inadequately equipped or is under-staffed. It’s, simply, that the government machinery has been slow to respond to the crisis.
For the ruling party, the misery has come at an inopportune time, as the state is going for assembly elections later this year.
