Three national highways, 496 roads blocked | More than 900 distribution transformers damaged
Shimla: The two major apple growing districts of Shimla and Kinnaur havefinally received widespread snowfall in the latest spell of precipitation across the state, a report in The Tribune, Chandigarh, says.
“Almost all mid to high hill areas in these two districts have received light to heavy snowfall in the latest spell. It would help fruit growers and farmers,” said Surender Paul, Director, Meteorological Centre, Shimla.
Earlier much of the snowfall had taken place in Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba and Kullu, but this time these two districts received good snowfall ranging from six inches to 2.5 feet. Shimla city, however, again went without any snowfall.
The heavy precipitation has led to the closure of several roads and distribution transformers across the state. While three national highways and 496 roads have been affected, the number of affected distribution transformers is 908.
Most roads have been hit in Shimla district (180), followed by Lahaul and Spiti (158) and Kinnaur (73). Shimla district has taken the biggest hit as far as disruption of power supply is concerned, with 384 transformers getting affected. As many as 158 transformers have been affected in Lahaul and Spiti, followed by 73 in Kinnaur.
But despite all the inconvenience, people, are not complaining as they had been anxiously waiting for a good spell of snowfall.
“The snowfall has come like a tonic for apple plants and growers. We had received just a few cm of snowfall so far, but this time the precipitation is in feet at most places in Kinnaur,” Krishan Prasad Negi from Kinnaur.
The apple growers are equally delighted in Shimla district as well. “We had received scanty snowfall so far and it was getting difficult to get the required chilling hours. The latest precipitation will help in attaining the required chilling hours,” said Harish Chauhan, an apple grower from Rohru.
The latest spell of precipitation has also made up for the rain deficit the state had been experiencing this winter. The state had recorded 98 per cent less than normal rain in December and the deficit was over 50 per cent around mid-January.
“From tomorrow, weather is expected to be dry over the next few days. At higher reaches, though, isolated places can continue to get some snow,” said Paul.
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