Gaurav Bisht heads Hindustan Times’ Himachal bureau. He covers politics in the hill state and other issues concerning the masses.
Articles by Gaurav Bisht
Sukhu goes all in to woo people in Virbhadra Singh’s bastion
While Padam Dev was the first Congress MLA from Rohru, Virbhadra Singh represented the seat for five consecutive terms, from 1990 till 2007
Updated on Jun 03, 2023 01:50 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Himachal: NGT orders probe into debris dumping in Sutlej
National Green Tribunal constitutes committee of state pollution control board and forest department to probe complaint of SJVNL dumping debris of tunnel in river at Sunni
Updated on Jun 01, 2023 02:42 PM IST
Hundreds of fish perish in Himachal’s Rewalsar Lake
It is learnt that the colour of the water in Himachal’s Rewalsar Lake , known for its floating reed islands, has changed to dark brown due to silt accumulation. Besides silting, over-feeding by visitors is being cited as the cause of fish mortality.
Updated on Jun 01, 2023 12:08 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Himachal to allocate power projects on higher royalty, says CM Sukhu
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu ups the ante day after meeting Union power minister RK Singh on Shanan project tussle with Punjab
Updated on May 30, 2023 04:53 PM IST
Summer snowfall draws tourists to Manali, Shimla given cold shoulder
Hotel occupancy on weekdays, which usually fluctuates between 40 to 70%, has remained close to the lower end of the spectrum at around 50% in Shimla; goes up to 80% in Manali
Updated on May 27, 2023 04:16 PM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Graft charges against Himachal CM’s office staff: Sukhu asks cops to verify veracity of allegations
A letter alleging corruption against an official in the Himachal Pradesh CM’s office has gone viral in the past few days with the Opposition BJP demanding an inquiry into this
Updated on May 27, 2023 12:01 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Himachal: Landslide near Theog cuts off apple-growing belt from rest of state
A major landslide on the Hindustan-Tibet road in Himachal Pradesh has disrupted traffic. Several tourist buses and trucks are stranded, and police are diverting traffic through lateral routes. The state has suffered losses of INR 200 crore ($27 million) in the last three months due to unseasonal rain, hailstorm and snowfall.
Updated on May 25, 2023 03:47 PM IST
Restored, Shimla’s 140-year-old Bantony Castle thrown open for public
The Bantony Castle near the Scandal Point, Shimla, has been restored at a cost of around ₹29 crore and will house a heritage museum
Updated on May 24, 2023 12:19 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Himachal mulls bringing back annual exam system for state board-run schools
This year, the overall pass percentage for himachal board schools witnessed a significant 14% drop, going down from 93.9% to 79.4%
Updated on May 23, 2023 12:58 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Himachal skating on thin ice as winter snow cover drops 10%
Himachal’s centre for climate change mapped the reduced snow cover’s impact on volatile ecology and river basins
Updated on May 21, 2023 01:13 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Himachal to see recruitment of over 10000 teachers this year
The Himachal Pradesh government will recruit more than 10,000 teachers by end of this year
Updated on May 20, 2023 01:01 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Himachal looks to Sikkim orchids to revive wilting floriculture sector
Under the World Bank-funded Horticulture Development Project, the state government will provide help to farmers and orchardists for orchid flower cultivation. It hopes more production on less land will add to the income to growers
Updated on May 13, 2023 04:54 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Shimla police tighten noose around peddlers
Shimla police have arrested 317 drug peddlers and registered 219 NDPS cases in the past four months, with a focus on drug consumers to break the chain. The police analysed a 62% increase in NDPS cases and arrests in Shimla compared to the same period last year. The police have accelerated their "Pradhav: Wipe out drugs" campaign ahead of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June. The police will organise a district-level contest under the campaign on 21 May.
Updated on May 10, 2023 11:35 PM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Facing unprovoked attacks from China, head of Tibetan govt in exile during Shimla visit
The head of the Tibetan government in exile also referred to Central Tibetan Administration, Sikyong, on Monday accused China of using cyber tools to defame the Tibetan community
Updated on May 10, 2023 02:32 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Ban on import of cheap apples bring cheer to fruit growers in Himachal
After years of demands fruit growers in Himachal, Centre prohibit import of apples where the cost, insurance, and freight import price is less than or equal to ₹50 per kg
Updated on May 10, 2023 02:25 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Himachal estimates ₹20-cr loss to crops due to rain, hailstorm
Rabi and vegetable crops were sown on 4,01,843 hectares and crops on 16,125.85 hectares were found to be destroyed; wheat is the main rabi crop grown on 3,29,084 hectares
Updated on May 09, 2023 01:37 PM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
May? Maybe not: Snow in parts of Kashmir and Himachal belies entry of summer in north India
Unusual snowfall in May has hit several towns in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, with average temperatures among the lowest since 1951. The northern plains were also recording cooler-than-usual temperatures. The trend is due to a series of rain-bearing western disturbances, according to experts. Although snowfall in May is not uncommon in the higher reaches of the Himalayan ranges, it is unusual in towns at lower altitudes. The trend seems to be more concerning than usual and comes at a time when the climate crisis is predicted to lead to more such unusual weather.
Updated on May 09, 2023 12:06 AM IST
Private schools to turn mentors for government counterparts in Himachal
Himachal’s private schools will take on the role of mentoring their government counterparts in a bid to help teachers and students gain confidence and understand the strength of the private institutions
Updated on May 07, 2023 02:49 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Congress dethrones BJP in Queen of Hills, sweeps Shimla MC polls
CM Sukhu passes first test since assuming office as party sweeps 24 of 34 wards; BJP reduced to nine, while CPI(M) bags one in the Shimla MC polls
Updated on May 05, 2023 11:53 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Congress sweeps elections to Shimla’s civic body
The Congress wrest the prestigious Shimla municipal corporation from the BJP after a period of 10 years, winning 24 out of the total 34 wards
Updated on May 05, 2023 12:30 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
HP cabinet meet: Panel to prepare white paper on financial health
The three-member panel will be headed by deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri and have agriculture minister Chander Kumar and rural development and panchayati raj minister Anirudh Singh as its members
Updated on May 03, 2023 11:26 PM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Himachal water cess: 27 hydel companies register to operate
The 27 companies include two public sector undertakings of the Government of India, namely National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC)
Updated on May 03, 2023 06:44 PM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Braving rain, 59% voters exercise their franchise in Shimla MC polls
Of the total 93,920 voters, 53,385 showed up at the polling booths to account for 58.97% during the Shimla MC polls
Updated on May 03, 2023 03:06 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Sun takes a rain check during Himachal’s second-wettest April in two decades
The state recorded 104.1 mm actual rainfall against a normal of 64 mm; the highest 111.8 mm rainfall in April was experienced in 2021
Updated on May 02, 2023 12:06 AM IST
Cherry cheer for Himachal growers as high demand pushes prices up
Cherry yield 35% lower due to dry winter this time; premium quality of fruit grown in Nankhari area of Himachal’s capital Shimla fetches record ₹400 to ₹900 a kg
Updated on May 02, 2023 12:00 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
MC Polls: Barbs fly as campaigning reaches fever pitch in Shimla
The Congress is looking to make a comeback in the civic body of the capital town after a gap of 10 years, while the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to retain the municipality it won for the first time in 2017
Updated on Apr 30, 2023 12:57 AM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Shimla MC polls hold lot at stake for Congress, BJP leaders
Shimla municipal corporation elections hold a lot at stake for Congress and BJP, with both parties eyeing to score a win in the oldest civic body in the country.
Updated on Apr 28, 2023 10:47 PM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Shimla MC polls: Congress, BJP vow to woo voters with development projects
Two major political parties — the ruling Congress and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party — are making every bid to woo the voters with development projects
Updated on Apr 27, 2023 11:11 PM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
Water cess unconstitutional, says Centre; HP to seek legal opinion
A day after the Centre shot off a missive to states declaring imposition of water cess on generation of electricity as “illegal and unconstitutional”, the Himachal Pradesh government on Wednesday said it would seek legal opinion in the matter
Updated on Apr 26, 2023 11:06 PM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
MC polls: Congress promises to make Shimla drug-free
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri, Congress state chief Pratibha Singh and cabinet ministers were present at the release of the manifesto
Updated on Apr 25, 2023 11:14 PM IST
Gaurav Bisht, Shimla
