When it snows in Himachal !

Rakesh Lohumi

t last the weather god obliged the "Queen of Hills" with a good snowfall, effectively ending the prolonged dry spell in the hill state. However, the heavy snow was not an unmixed blessing; it completely paralysed normal life. With the administration not adequately prepared to cope with the situation, it also brought lot of miseries and hardships for both the tourists and the locals.

Himachal recorded 24 per cent deficient precipitation during monsoon and there has been no rain since then. In fact, the state capital experienced the warmest ever December this season, despite the token spell of snow on Christmas. Prospects of a good snowfall appeared bleak but the unpredictable nature has its own ways.

The region was lashed by heavy and widespread snow, not seen in recent years. An unusual aspect was that the mid hill ranges received maximum snow, while the higher mountain ranges in Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti , which normally get much more snow, had very little in comparison. On the other hand, snow extended to lower reaches right down to Solan, Dakshai and Kasauli which rarely receive snow these days.

Slippery road The impact of unusually warm weather was quite apparent in the high moisture content in the snow. Normally in the early winter, when the ambient temperature is very low, snow is dry and powdery. As the mercury rises towards the later part of the winter , the snow becomes wet and sticky due to high moisture content. It sticks and its sheer weight causes much more damage to trees, power lines and other infrastructure. This was the main reason for the extensive damage caused by snow which threw life out of gear.
There was no electricity and water for almost a week as uprooted trees and falling branches left distribution and transmission lines in a mess. Roads were strewn with mangled wires. The people had to go without the daily necessities like milk, bread, vegetables and fruit for days together. Vehicles were stuck in knee deep snow all over the place as snow blocked as many as 607 roads, some of which could not be opened even after two weeks.

Walking on road became a nightmare due to slippery conditions and many people fell and sustained injuries.

Snapped power lines Besides, as many as 728 water supply schemes were affected and people for have to make do by melting snow for their daily needs of water. The administration struggled hard to restore normalcy and it took much more time due to lack of preparedness.
Walking on road became a nightmare due to slippery conditions and many people fell and sustained injuries. The problem extreme cold conditions, with the mercury plummeting to -3.6°C in the state capital, added to the woes as water pipes burst or got blocked due to the freezing of water. The Circular Road, the lifeline of Shimla, remained choked with unending traffic jams, while upper areas beyond the city remained cut off.
The harassed tourists realised that snow is not all fun as shown in Bollywood movies and news channels; it also brings lot of hardships. They not only lacked the wherewithal to cope with snow and arctic conditions but also suffered at the hands of unscrupulous hoteliers, taxi operators, porters and shop keepers who fleeced them to the hilt.
It also brought home the harsh reality Shimla, already bursting at the seams with its burgeoning population, does not have the capacity to host so many tourists. There is not enough parking space for the local vehicles and the roads are literally choked ,leading to long traffic jams .The huge rush of tourists vehicles only adds to the chaos. It was time the a u t h o r i t i e s became aware of the perils of attracting so many tourists and developed some other hill stations to ease pressure on the state capital.

After fresh snow With snow b e c o m i n g i n c r e a s i n g l y scarce over the past few decades in recent even the local residents seemed unprepared for snow. They did not bother to have the winter gear like heavy woollens, non-skid shoes and adequate heating arrangement at home. It was quite evident from reported deaths caused by hypothermia, which is unusual as sub-zero temperatures during peak winter are perfectly normal.
The erstwhile British rulers, who chose Shimla to set up their summer capital in India because of its London-like climate, had framed a snow manual to take care of such exigencies and ensure that life goes on during the prolonged winter. The snow manual is still in vogue but the administration is invariably found wanting in ensuring its proper implementation.
Until early 1990s, when it snowed in plenty, not only the administration but even the residents braced up for the long winter as an early snowfall affected life for weeks together. The people stocked ration, coal, kerosene and other necessities well before the onset of winter. The administration kept manpower and machinery ready for prompt clearance of snow.
The weather god has been kind to the apple growers as snow in the higher and mid-hill areas has come in the nick of time. It not only broke the dry spell but also made for the lack of rain since monsoon. They had to content with a poor crop last year with the production declining to 1.67 crore standard boxes( 20 kg each), as against the normal outturn of over 3.25 crore boxes. The hope of a good crop has been revived as the upper Shimla
region, which contributes over 70 per cent of the total apple production, has received 50 to 75 cm of snow. It will not only e n s u r e m i n i m u m chilling of 1600 to 2000 hours but also help r e m a i n a d e q u a t e moisture till summer.

Adequate snow during winter will help ease shortage of drinking water during summer. A majority of villages, particularly in the mid hill areas, have been facing shortage of water as natural sources of water dry up during peak summer because of inadequate snow.

Snow is c o n s i d e r e d as white manure in apple orchards and in recent past erratic and inadequate snowfall has been affecting apple production. The entire apple belt across the has received snow well in time. The Kullu district, which accounts for about 20 per cent of production, has also received widespread snow.

More importantly, adequate snow during winter will help ease shortage of drinking water during summer. A majority of villages, particularly in the mid hill areas, have been facing shortage of water as natural sources of water dry up during peak summer because of inadequate snow.

The winter sports enthusiasts were delighted as the barren ski slopes at Solang Nullah near Manali came alive with snow. The 13,050 ft Rohtang pass, which was without snow up till now, finally got some snow.



		EDITOR'S MAIL MATTERS OF PUBLIC POLICY FIVE-STATE POLL PUNJAB ELECTION ON RECORD FRANKLY SPEAKING REALPOLITIK CHANGING POLITICAL PROFILES THE NIGHT THAT WAS RBI AUTONOMY A DIVIDED PARTY DIDI'S POLITICS INDIA ESSAY VOICE FROM LONDON 45TH U.S. PRESIDENT HITS & MISSES MIXED BLESSING ENVIRONMENTAL NEGLECT BOOK BAZAAR BOOK BAZAAR BOOK BAZAAR YOGA IN DAILY LIFE-X SIGNS OF THE TIMES INTERVIEW BOLLYWOOD PANORAMA TRIBUTE THAT HEROIC EVENT LIVING WITH NATURE ART OF LIVING Issue:February' 2017 Subscribe Now	MIXED BLESSING When it snows in Himachal ! Rakesh Lohumi t last the weather god obliged the "Queen of Hills" with a good snowfall, effectively ending the prolonged dry spell in the hill state. However, the heavy snow was not an unmixed blessing; it completely paralysed normal life. With the administration not adequately prepared to cope with the situation, it also brought lot of miseries and hardships for both the tourists and the locals. Himachal recorded 24 per cent deficient precipitation during monsoon and there has been no rain since then. In fact, the state capital experienced the warmest ever December this season, despite the token spell of snow on Christmas. Prospects of a good snowfall appeared bleak but the unpredictable nature has its own ways. The region was lashed by heavy and widespread snow, not seen in recent years. An unusual aspect was that the mid hill ranges received maximum snow, while the higher mountain ranges in Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti , which normally get much more snow, had very little in comparison. On the other hand, snow extended to lower reaches right down to Solan, Dakshai and Kasauli which rarely receive snow these days. Slippery road The impact of unusually warm weather was quite apparent in the high moisture content in the snow. Normally in the early winter, when the ambient temperature is very low, snow is dry and powdery. As the mercury rises towards the later part of the winter , the snow becomes wet and sticky due to high moisture content. It sticks and its sheer weight causes much more damage to trees, power lines and other infrastructure. This was the main reason for the extensive damage caused by snow which threw life out of gear. There was no electricity and water for almost a week as uprooted trees and falling branches left distribution and transmission lines in a mess. Roads were strewn with mangled wires. The people had to go without the daily necessities like milk, bread, vegetables and fruit for days together. Vehicles were stuck in knee deep snow all over the place as snow blocked as many as 607 roads, some of which could not be opened even after two weeks. Walking on road became a nightmare due to slippery conditions and many people fell and sustained injuries. Snapped power lines Besides, as many as 728 water supply schemes were affected and people for have to make do by melting snow for their daily needs of water. The administration struggled hard to restore normalcy and it took much more time due to lack of preparedness. Walking on road became a nightmare due to slippery conditions and many people fell and sustained injuries. The problem extreme cold conditions, with the mercury plummeting to -3.6°C in the state capital, added to the woes as water pipes burst or got blocked due to the freezing of water. The Circular Road, the lifeline of Shimla, remained choked with unending traffic jams, while upper areas beyond the city remained cut off. The harassed tourists realised that snow is not all fun as shown in Bollywood movies and news channels; it also brings lot of hardships. They not only lacked the wherewithal to cope with snow and arctic conditions but also suffered at the hands of unscrupulous hoteliers, taxi operators, porters and shop keepers who fleeced them to the hilt. It also brought home the harsh reality Shimla, already bursting at the seams with its burgeoning population, does not have the capacity to host so many tourists. There is not enough parking space for the local vehicles and the roads are literally choked ,leading to long traffic jams .The huge rush of tourists vehicles only adds to the chaos. It was time the a u t h o r i t i e s became aware of the perils of attracting so many tourists and developed some other hill stations to ease pressure on the state capital. After fresh snow With snow b e c o m i n g i n c r e a s i n g l y scarce over the past few decades in recent even the local residents seemed unprepared for snow. They did not bother to have the winter gear like heavy woollens, non-skid shoes and adequate heating arrangement at home. It was quite evident from reported deaths caused by hypothermia, which is unusual as sub-zero temperatures during peak winter are perfectly normal. The erstwhile British rulers, who chose Shimla to set up their summer capital in India because of its London-like climate, had framed a snow manual to take care of such exigencies and ensure that life goes on during the prolonged winter. The snow manual is still in vogue but the administration is invariably found wanting in ensuring its proper implementation. Until early 1990s, when it snowed in plenty, not only the administration but even the residents braced up for the long winter as an early snowfall affected life for weeks together. The people stocked ration, coal, kerosene and other necessities well before the onset of winter. The administration kept manpower and machinery ready for prompt clearance of snow. The weather god has been kind to the apple growers as snow in the higher and mid-hill areas has come in the nick of time. It not only broke the dry spell but also made for the lack of rain since monsoon. They had to content with a poor crop last year with the production declining to 1.67 crore standard boxes( 20 kg each), as against the normal outturn of over 3.25 crore boxes. The hope of a good crop has been revived as the upper Shimla region, which contributes over 70 per cent of the total apple production, has received 50 to 75 cm of snow. It will not only e n s u r e m i n i m u m chilling of 1600 to 2000 hours but also help r e m a i n a d e q u a t e moisture till summer. Adequate snow during winter will help ease shortage of drinking water during summer. A majority of villages, particularly in the mid hill areas, have been facing shortage of water as natural sources of water dry up during peak summer because of inadequate snow. Snow is c o n s i d e r e d as white manure in apple orchards and in recent past erratic and inadequate snowfall has been affecting apple production. The entire apple belt across the has received snow well in time. The Kullu district, which accounts for about 20 per cent of production, has also received widespread snow. More importantly, adequate snow during winter will help ease shortage of drinking water during summer. A majority of villages, particularly in the mid hill areas, have been facing shortage of water as natural sources of water dry up during peak summer because of inadequate snow. The winter sports enthusiasts were delighted as the barren ski slopes at Solang Nullah near Manali came alive with snow. The 13,050 ft Rohtang pass, which was without snow up till now, finally got some snow.