Sukhu performing yoga asanas on the occasion of International Yoga Day at his official residence Oak Over

SHIMLA, 21.06.25-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu performing yoga asanas on the occasion of International Yoga Day at his official residence Oak Over Shimla today.

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CM mourns demise of senior journalist

SHIMLA, 21.06.25-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has expressed grief over sudden demise of senior journalist Rajesh Parashar of Amar Ujala daily who hailed from Gagret in Una district.

In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said that he was a committed and sensitive, journalist and his untimely demise is a great loss to the journalists fraternity.

The Chief Minister has conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the family to bear this irreparable loss.

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CM directs to serve notices against developers for delay in hydropower projects

Pushes for green energy and pump storage initiatives

SHIMLA, 21.06.25-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the Energy department to issue cancellation notice to non-serious hydro power developers, whose projects have remained stalled for many years.

He was presiding over a high level meeting of Power department on Saturday. He said that undue delay in the project execution are causing significant losses to the state exchequer. Hydro power is the mainstay in the State's economy and the state government is committed to ensuring that the benefits reach to the people of the State.

Sh. Sukhu said that the present state government is committed to safeguard the interests of the people of the State across multiple platforms and forums. In a major decision, the State Government has decided to take back 382 MW Sunni, 210 MW Luhri Stage-I and 66 MW Dhaulasidh projects previously allotted to SJVNL. He said that the State Government will not move ahead on the upcoming projects like Kishau and Renuka Dam unless the neighbouring States provide to settle the long concrete assurances pending arrears of Bhakra Beas Management Board.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister was informed that BBMB has identified 4403 MW capacity of power on Bhakra Dam and 8700 MW capacity on Kol Dam for establishing pump storage projects. He directed the department to take lead in this direction and move forward immediately so that the people of the State reap maximum benefits from these projects.

Sh. Sukhu instructed the HPSEBL to complete the commissioning of Kaza solar power project by August, 2025 and to expedite the one MW solar power project with battery backup at Dhanwas in the remote Pangi valley of Chamba district. This project is expected to be completed by December, 2025 and will guarantee uninterrupted power supply to the 19 gram panchayats of the valley even during heavy snowfall.

The Chief Minister also reviewed the progress of the 'Green Panchayat scheme' and directed to speed up the project. He also took stock of the under construction 450 MW Shong Tong Hydro Power Project and asked the Power Corporation to complete this project within the stipulated time period.

Furthermore, it was also decided that the HPSEBL will establish five Sub Stations with 66 KV capacity, while 10 Sub Stations having capacity of 132 KV and 220 KV would be set up by the HPPTCL in accordance with the directions of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Principal Advisor to Chief Minister Ram Subhag Singh, Advisor, Infrastructure Anil Kapil, OSD to Chief Minister Gopal Sharma, Chairman HPSEBL Sanjay Gupta, Director Energy Rakesh Prajapati, Managing Director of HP Power Corporation Abid Husain Sadiq, Managing Director Himachal Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Rajiv Sood and other senior officers also attended the meeting.

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CS stresses need for legal solutions to improve Court Case Management

SHIMLA, 21.06.25-Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena emphasized the need for legal solutions to enhance the management of court cases within the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (HPPWD). He urged the department's officials to take personal responsibility for the cases they are handling until these are fully resolved. While the State Government has already constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee to address this issue, the Chief Secretary stressed that proactive engagement by the concerned officers was equally important. He also advised them to stay alert to cases that are reported in the media.

The Chief Secretary was presiding over a day-long workshop organized by the HPPWD at its headquarters here today which aimed at capacity building and improving court case management.

He encouraged the officials to exchange best practices and insights with their counterparts in other states to explore effective strategies. “Arbitration alone should not be our only focus. Each case must be handled with seriousness and accountability,” he said. He further added that the workshop must conclude with concrete, actionable outcomes, which should be monitored for their effectiveness over time.
Saxena also called for minimizing delays and simplifying the procedural channels involved in case resolution. He highlighted that legislative measures could be a potential long-term solution to resolve longstanding cases. Due to more public awareness the number of court cases has risen significantly. “People today have a deeper understanding of their constitutional rights, which has led to an increase in litigation cases. This calls for better preparedness and systemic improvements,” he concluded.

While welcoming the dignitaries and participants, Secretary, Public Works Department, Dr. Abhishek Jain stated that the objective of today’s workshop was to deliberate on ways to reduce discrepancies in the handling of court cases within the PWD. He emphasized that the workshop focuses on knowledge and skill up-gradation, along with practical support for the officials involved in legal matters. Dr. Jain highlighted that the total financial liability arising from already decided and ongoing land acquisition cases has been tentatively estimated at ₹300 crore. The liability may rise to approximately ₹1,000 crore once all pending cases are considered. He stressed the importance of avoiding duplication of files in order to meet time-sensitive deadlines and emphasized reducing financial, compliance, and administrative costs.

During his address, Principal Secretary (Law), Sharad Kumar Lagwal, spoke about the nature of court cases being faced by the department. He remarked that it is the constitutional duty of the State to protect individual land rights. The State must ensure a proper and lawful transfer of land. While acquiring land, the department should ensure that it is free from all encumbrances, he added.

Special Secretary, PWD, Harbans Singh Brascon gave a presentation on the current scenario of court cases in the State. He elaborated on key challenges, including roads built on private land, lack of proper entries in revenue records, and legal claims for compensation by landowners. Currently, around 1,600 such cases are pending in various courts across the State.

Among other notable speakers were Retired Principal Secretary (Law) J.N. Barowalia, and District Attorney (HPPWD) Jagdish Rajta.

The post-lunch session featured panel discussions.

Advocate General, Anup Rattan emphasized on the need and importance of an effective case management system and suggested that replies to court cases should be drafted at the Headquarter level to ensure timely and appropriate defense. He stated that all departmental decisions must be backed by sound reasoning. He also discussed matters related to land acquisition and stressed that engineers of the department should acquaint themselves with the Arbitration Act.

He also distributed certificates of participation.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Surinder Pal Jagota, Engineer-in-Chief (Projects), HPPWD.