Blogs
Save Trees: Is it wise to plan a complex in a 7,914 square meter area with a high density of trees?
The new complex of Irrigation and Public Health Headquarters on Shimla bye-pass was planned in an area which requires clearing of near about 40-50 trees
While we witness the violation of 118 of HP Land Reforms and Tenancy Act, 1972 and cry over the grave of hundreds of trees in Kanlog Shimla, the government have again come out with a troublesome plan.Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister laid foundation stone of a new complex of Irrigation and Public Health Headquarters on Shimla bye-pass on 9th of July 2012, that is estimated to be built in an area of 7,914 square meter, which also have a 4,319 square meter parking, that is enough for approximately 80 light vehicles. The project is estimated to cost Rs. 24.03 crore.
That means another 40 to 50 trees are sure to be sacrificed to make space for the new government office building. We already know HPSEB, who has been helping deforestation by damaging trees with their stay wires and iron rods for streetlights. On the other hand, MC Shimla used these trees efficiently to serve well for nailing unauthorized private and party hoardings/billboards. In addition to ignoring the environmental issues in Shimla, the public too have contributed by setting the forest on fires every summer.
We wonder, wethere isn’t it a better idea to chose a location for buildings that require least cutting of trees. Have a look at the photographs. The density of trees in the area is high and there are many other places in Shimla with lesser tree density. May be perhaps those lands are being booked for private firms to avoid controversy that we witnessed in DFL’s luxury villa site. Moreover, for the construction of new ISBT, the area was cleared and many trees were axed. However, the location was suitable and had lesser tree density and the project can be justified as it was for the development of public transport.But, choosing another site for construction in the same area sounds idiotic as it can cause a great damage to the environment by reducing the density of the forest. Every tree is precious and the developed countries have already realized it and are promoting ‘save trees’ attitude.
Please spare some time to think about the change in the pattern of snowfall in Shimla. According to a study conducted by Meteorological Department, the snowfall has constantly been eluding during the last two decades. In 1991, Shimla witnessed 49 cm of snowfall on Christmas’ Eve and it was the last time it happened, except 2010. The Christmas Eve is no more white now.
Further, another study published in the Journal of Agro-meteorology concludes that the average overall precipitation from December to March has dropped from 283.9 mm (1991 to 2001) to 235.1 mm (2002 to 2010-11) and the percentage of snowfall to the total precipitation has declined to 30 from 39. Now the month of December is no more the favorite of tourists,rather the snowfall trend has changed to February. During 1994-1995 the average number of days with snowfall was recorded to be 20 days and now it has dropped dramatically to 8.2 days. If we talk about the interval between the first and last snowfall, which dropped down from 58.6 days during1991-2000 to 44 days during 2001 – 2011, then the issue sounds more serious than you would expect. The study holds deforestation as one of the main reason for all the climatic mess up. in Shimla
The increase in the number of vehicles on road, which run on fossil fuels,has caused greater carbon emission in Shimla and government’s careless and corrupt practices are making it more drastic by clearing the forests.Each and every tree is precious and the present deforestation rate in Shimla poses a great risk to the natural beauty and the pleasant climate of Shimla. We doubt, our next generation would see snow clad mountains anddeep forest in pictures only.
Shimla-In yet another instance, two private bus operators in Shimla city were seen creating a nuisance for the public by jamming the traffic. A reader clicked some pictures at the BCS bust stop in Shimla city on February 19, 2022, at about 8 PM and shared them with us. The reader alleged that two private bus operators, namely ‘Komal’ and ‘Chadda’, indulged in a verbal spat, most probably over their schedule. While the drivers argued, one of the buses remained parked in the middle of the road, choking the traffic. The staff of these two buses indulged in a verbal spat for about 5-10 minutes during which the general public faced a huge inconvenience. The reader has requested the Traffic Police Shimla to take action against such operators and discourage them from adopting such a bullying attitude that they don’t even hesitate to block the entire road.
Write and Publish Blog on HW
If you have relevant issues/complains that you want the people and the government to see and read about, you can publish blogs on Himachal Watcher. Send us your blogs with pictures/videos at editor [at] himachalwatcher [dot]com
Language: Hindi and English
Note For Multimedia Files: If you have high resolution images/videos (taken with smartphone/camera), then send us the originals through Google Drive or We Transfer or any other file sharing applications that suits you.
Sundernagar-Many people visit the Sundernagar lake in Mandi district and litter along the road. Winds carry all those packets and plastic bottles into the lake. This practice of littering is unlawful because it costs millions in clean-up projects. It portrays a bad picture of an area. Littering is a huge threat to the aquatic life too. In my view, the solution is awareness, responsibility, sensibility and concern for nature. We as a society need to play a big role. At least, dustbins should be installed along the lake. Otherwise, the negligence in the present will affect us in near future.
-Blog and Picture By Divya Acharya, Sundernagar
Write and Publish Blog on HW
If you have relevant issues/complains that you want the people and the government to see and read about, you can publish blogs on Himachal Watcher. Send us your blogs with pictures/videos at editor [at] himachalwatcher [dot]com
Language: Hindi and English
Note For Multimedia Files: If you have high resolution images/videos (taken with smartphone/camera), then send us the originals through Google Drive or We Transfer or any other file sharing applications that suits you.
Shimla-A youth from a small town of the Mandi district – Sarkaghat- started as a freelancer and went on to launch his own start-up in 2014. By 2021, the start-up grew into a company that has garnered international clients and also designed and developed websites and web apps for several Departments of the Himachal Pradesh Government.
Netgen IT Solutions Pvt Ltd- a young agile company- has, so far, developed websites for the Department of Information Technology, Women & Child Development, Rope & Rapid Transport Development Corporation, HP Milk Federation Cooperation, and the HP AIDS Control Society.
Besides, it also developed HimSuraksha Abhiyan App (National Health Mission) and the website of the Department of Tourism & Civil Aviation along with a Services Portal.
Further, the website of the Department of Information & Public Relations and the single window system was also developed by NetGen.
Having developed over 2500 websites, Netgen IT Solutions has an imprint of having worked for clients spread over 25 countries in Europe, America, Asia and Australia.
Bootstrapped as a Start-Up on 7th July 2014, the company has evolved to offer a diverse set of services for web, e-commerce and mobile solutions that have enabled Global and Indian business to adapt to a Digital First environment. In seven years, this Shimla-based company has carved out a niche for itself.
The company started with a small team of just four people, and today it employs strong-heeled 25 IT professionals. The skillset of web developers, designers, networking specialists, social media marketers and others is expanding with the growth of the company.
To mark the NetGen Foundation Day, the company hosted a live inter-action of the team members with some clients to understand the need for future technologies and solutions for a fast-changing business environment in the shadow COVID pandemic.
Mr Rajneesh Rana, Founder and Managing Director of the company, is a computer science graduate. Speaking about the company’s journey, Rana’s says, “Stepping out from working as a freelancer at the small township of Sarkhaghat, in Himachal Pradesh, to launching a start-up company, was my first step in entrepreneurship. The company was founded on a shoe-string budget with a small capital outlay. After overcoming the initial hesitancy, we’re on the firmer ground today.”
With the growth in demand for IT Services, the company in the initial year faced manpower shortages. The management took to train and equip freshers in a mentorship program to meet its needs for IT Professionals and also to equip others to find gainful employment elsewhere. Netgen till date has trained over 50 freshers with essential and advanced IT skills. Most of them for the first time in their careers got exposure to the IT Industry.
The company’s IT Technical Team today is professionally equipped to work in 20+ technologies that can be deployed across a vast network of industries.
The Netgen team of IT professionals has expanded the services that the company now provides. A multitude of projects employing creative website design-development; customised software products; e-Commerce solutions; server administration – web security – networking services; mobile application design – development; social media marketing; stand completed.
“There is a growing demand for many other IT and IT-enabled services that the company has successfully delivered for Global and Indian clients,” said Rajneesh.
“Since the breakout of the COVID pandemic, the demand for online services has increased. It created an environment that demands moving things onto digital platform, bringing more opportunities for the IT sector ,” added Rajneesh.
“Take the case of the Government of Himachal Pradesh, India. To secure baseline health data of the over 70 lakh residents in the state and to prepare effective strategies for countering the spread of the pandemic in challenging hilly terrain, the state government needed a simple but effective IT-enabled solution to capture the data as fast as possible,” he said.
“The ‘Him Suraksha Abhiyan’ application designed and developed by NetGen IT Solutions was used by thousands of teams spread under 2300+ sub-centres. In just over a month, the software solution created successfully captured the data of over 68 lakh residents of Himachal Pradesh,” he added.
The 70:30 Percent (%) Global – Domestic revenue stream of Netgen has prepared the company to expand both its export and domestic service portfolios, said Rajneesh.
Mr Ravinder Makhaik, Director of the company says, “growing steadily, Netgen is a debt-free, profit-making company. A healthy mix of domestic and international businesses, with sound financials, gives the company strength to take up more challenging projects. Our portfolio of government projects is making good progress.”
Founded as a 1 lakh authorized capital company and with annual revenues rising at a 25 % compounded annual growth rate, the Netgen Board of Directors has decided to expand the authorized capital of the company to Rs 10 lakh to meet future growth needs.
A young leader’s activism combined with the concept of ‘Himachaliyat’ and ‘Virbhadra Singh Vikas Model’ may be a gamechanger for the Congress in Himachal
Paradox in Hatti Community’s Demand for Tribal Status
HP Govt Employees to Get Higher Pay Scale on Completion of Two Years of Service: CM Jairam
Most Covid Restrictions to be Lifted From March 31, Mask and Hand Hygiene to Continue
Home Decor Ideas 2020
