Apple Orchards Are Nature’s Carbon Sink

Dr Vijay Singh Thakur, Ex- VC YSPUHF, Solan

Apple Orchards: Nature’s Carbon Sink, Not Environmental Villain

SHIMLA: Contrary to the myths floating around about the apple industry harming the environment, the reality is quite the opposite.

Apple orchards are not just economic lifelines for thousands of farmers in Himachal Pradesh but also play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance.

An acre of apple orchard absorbs 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually and releases 15 tonnes of oxygen into the atmosphere — a perfect natural carbon sink.

Add to this the cooling power of 5 billion BTUs per acre, making these orchards one of the best natural coolers, ideal for resting under their shade in summers.

Apples are not just a source of healthy food; apple trees naturally absorb atmospheric heat and reduce noise pollution by up to 16-20 decibels.

Our orchards work silently for the environment while sustaining livelihoods.

As the flowering season approaches, farmers are busy prepping their orchards.

They are advised to stay in the orchards, enjoy nature’s beauty, and witness the mesmerizing bloom. It’s therapy, it’s life.

Besides their aesthetic value, apple farming is Himachal’s biggest economic driver, contributing heavily to the state’s GDP.

Apples are highly nutritious, long-lasting, and natural — a rare combination in today’s chemically driven food market.

Apple growers are known for their hard work, adaptability, and progressive mindset — qualities that have earned Himachal the title of ‘Apple State of India’.

It’s high time we bust the myths and give apple orchards their due recognition — they are not just fruit plantations but the green lungs of the hills.

#AppleStateOfIndia #HimachalApples #CarbonSink #NaturalCooler #OxygenFactories #GreenEconomy #SustainableFarming #NatureFriendly #FarmersFirst #GDPBoost #HimalayanApples #MythBuster #EatNatural

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The recovery of the decomposed body of Vimal Negi, GM-Chief Engineer of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), from the Bhakra Dam waters near Swarghat has not just left the engineering fraternity in shock, but has opened a Pandora’s box of corruption, coercion, and alleged abetment to suicide by top officials of the corporation.

Negi, a man known for his integrity and uprightness, had been missing since March 10.

What initially looked like a case of a missing officer has now snowballed into a murky corporate mess involving controversial projects, power games, and pressure tactics.

The family has now lodged a formal FIR, blaming top HPPCL officers . Meena, and his close aides for pushing Negi into depression and ultimately his death.

They allege it’s not just suicide – it’s cold-blooded murder and abetment.

The Death and the Dark Underbelly of HPPCL Projects

Sources revealed that on March 10, Negi came to his office but suddenly asked his official driver to take him to Tanzin Hospital.

After seeing a long queue, he abruptly left, got off at the Lift area, and disappeared – his phones going silent. He hired taxi till Ghumarwin and went mission that day.

Days later, his body surfaced in the Bhakra reservoir – leaving his family shattered.

But what happened before his disappearance tells a spine-chilling story.

The moment the news of Negi’s body recovery flashed, MD H. Meena and Director Shivam Pratap Singh rushed out of the HPPCL head office.

Soon after, a police team reached the office, sealed files, attendance records, and detained Director (Electrical) Des Raj, a much junior officer who was controversially promoted over seniors – raising serious questions.

Insiders revealed the real rot lies in the 45 MW Pekhubal Solar Power Project in Una, executed at a cost of ₹241 crore.

Negi, as a senior officer, was forced by MD Meena to sign off on a chargesheet against the Una head office – a move Negi later regretted deeply.

“He even came to HO and apologised, saying there was a method behind the madness. He was forced by Meena to sign thd chargesheet.It weighed heavily on his mind,” revealed an insider.

The project had already drawn flak in the December 2024 Winter Session in Dharamshala, where BJP leaders accused the Sukhu government of deep-rooted corruption.

₹200 Crore Escalation, ₹30 Crore Kickbacks – The Shontong Power Project Scam

Another skeleton tumbled out when the Shontong Power Project on the Sutlej River in Kinnaur, being executed by HPPCL, saw a suspicious ₹200 crore cost escalation.

The government allegedly revised component costs, favouring Patel Engineering, all under the nose of MD Meena.

An anonymous letter doing the rounds flagged a ₹30 crore kickback – with Meena’s name surfacing directly. Though Meena lodged an FIR to silence the whispers, the police are yet to file a chargesheet.

“They Broke Him Completely,” Says Family

Negi’s family and insiders claim he was a man of principles, caught in a toxic environment where he was repeatedly forced to become a pawn in shady deals.

“He was not ready to compromise. They broke him completely. He slipped into deep depression,” said a family member.

Villagers from Katgaon (Negi’s native village) and engineers across the state staged protests, demanding action against the high and mighty who allegedly pushed Negi to the brink.

Will the System Protect the Powerful or Deliver Justice?

As the FIR now formally names top officials and mentions abetment to suicide and murder, the big question is – who will give justice to Vimal Negi?

Will this just become another statistic in the mountain of corruption scandals or will the truth finally surface?

Engineers across the state are watching closely – if the system fails to protect one of their own, what hope does anyone else have?

News

BJP Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur Seeks Deep Probe into the Mysterious Death of HPPCL Chief Engineer Vimal Negi

SHIMLA: Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said, "The untimely demise of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited’s Chief Engineer Shri Vimal Negi is extremely painful.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. May the Almighty grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the family to bear this irreparable loss."

"It is a matter of serious concern that the family of Late Vimal Negi has levelled grave allegations against senior officials of his corporation.

"I urge Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to get these allegations thoroughly and impartially investigated", Thakur demanded in a post on social media.

News

Missing Chief Engineer Vimal Negi's Body Recovered from Bhakhra Dam near Swarghat, HPPCL Director Detained

Shimla/Bilaspur: The missing Chief Engineer of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited, Vimal Negi, who is acclaimed for his integrity and skills, is no More.

In a shocking news Vimal Negi's Body was recovered today from the damsite of Bhakhra Dam near Swarghat in a mutilated form.

It was the fishermen who spotted the body floating on the bank of the Dam at remote Ghor Ghori. They informed the police. They recovered a driving license of Vimal Negi and identified him.

In this connection police has detained a director of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) for questioning.

The grieving family is now lodging an FIR at Shimla, calling it a clear case of abetment to suicide and murder.

Negi, missing since March 10, was found dead in a highly mutilated state near Swarghat on Tuesday.

Sources revealed he might have jumped into the Bhakra Dam near Kandraur in Ghumarwin. His body was recovered downstream, triggering shockwaves across the state.

Negi’s wife, Kiran Negi, has blamed the toxic work culture and mental harassment by top HPPCL officials/ director.

"My husband was mentally tortured for being honest. He had named the top directors for mentally torturing him. He couldn’t take it anymore," she alleged.

The family has sought a deep probe into the entire chain of events—demanding the police trace "who exactly pushed Vimal Negi to end his life".

The police have detained the HPPCL director for questioning even as anger brews in the engineering fraternity and HPSEB, demanding strict action against those responsible for breaking a man of integrity.

All eyes are now on the government and the police—will this be hushed up as ‘suicide’, or will the real culprits face the heat.

But the family members, HPSEBL union and friends and insiders in HPPCL have joined hands to take battle to its logical justice.

Meanwhile the police is conducting postmortem at Bilaspur hospital and will hand over the body to family members tomorrow.

Negi was a brilliant student and product of NIT Hamirpur. His family members including highly reputed IAS officer Ramesh Negi, who retired as Chief Secretary from Arunachal Pradesh, his brother Surender Negi, who come from Katgaon in Kinnaur.

Vimal Negi is survived by his wife Kiran Negi, a minor son and a daughter.

Meanwhile Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has expressed deep grief over the unfortunate demise of Chief Engineer-cum-General Manager of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), Vimal Negi, who had been missing for the past few days.

The Chief Minister said that Vimal Negi was an outstanding and upright officer, whose dedicated services to the state will always be remembered.

He acknowledged his significant contribution to the power sector and lauded his professional commitment.

The State Government stands firmly with the bereaved family in this hour of grief, he said in his statement issued here today.

#JusticeForVemalNegi #StopWorkplaceHarassment #HPPCLScandal #HimachalNews #BhakraDamSuicide #TruthMustPrevail #HPSEB #EngineersDemandJustice #ToxicWorkCulture

News

Law and Order Crumble In Himachal: BJP

Law & Order Crumbles in Himachal: Missing Chief Engineer, Bhindranwale Flags in Manikaran, Bilaspur Shootout Echoes in Vidhan Sabha; Sukhu Govt Faces Fire

Shimla – Himachal Pradesh is in the news for all the wrong reasons—vanishing officers, provocative acts in tourist hotspots, and gang wars—pushing the Sukhu government on the backfoot over law and order.

It’s been eight days since Vimal Negi, Chief Engineer of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), mysteriously disappeared, with no trace so far.

The engineering fraternity has also staged protests seeking probe and tracing out the missing Chief Engineer.

Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi, raising the issue in the Vidhan Sabha, said, “Neither police nor the family has any clue about him.

This is serious. A high-level probe must be ordered immediately.”

Negi’s wife has alleged workplace harassment and mental torture, hinting at possible foul play.

While the search continues, Manikaran Valley flared up after bikers from Punjab flaunted Bhindranwale flags on their Royal Enfields, drawing locals’ ire.

The bikers were forced to remove the flags, with police slapping fines under the Motor Vehicles Act.

Meanwhile, Acting Akal Takht Jathedar also jumped in, alleging harassment of Punjabi youth in Himachal—adding fuel to the fire.

Meanwhile, the recent shootout in Bilaspur, injuring former Congress MLA Bambar Thakur during Holi, rocked the Assembly.

BJP leaders led by Jai Ram Thakur staged a protest outside the Vidhan Sabha on Monday, slamming the Sukhu government.

“Gangwars and shootings were unheard of in Himachal. Today, even tourists and mafia rule the roost,” Thakur lashed out.

The BJP MLAS also raised these issues in Vidhan Sabha today saying law and order has gone for a six in Himachal under the Sukhu government.

The government was forced to announce a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the DIG, with ADG Gyaneshwar Singh monitoring the probe into the Bilaspur incident.

BJP’s Vipin Parmar called it a complete collapse of law and order, “Shootings, rapes, murders—this is today’s Himachal under Congress rule.”

As the opposition cornered the CM inside the House, the public outside is now asking—“Kahan hai Himachal ka wo purana sukoon?”

#HimachalNews #LawAndOrder #VimalNegiMissing #ManikaranRow #BilaspurShootout #HimachalAssembly #SukhuGovernment #BJPProtest #KhalistanFlags #PunjabHimachalTension #BreakingNews

News

HFRI Organizes Capacity Building Training for Frontline Forest Staff

Shimla, March 18, 2025:Amid growing concerns over climate change and biodiversity loss, the ICFRE-Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI), Shimla, has kick-started a three-day capacity-building training program for frontline officers and staff of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department.

The training, which runs from March 18 to 20, aims to enhance the technical competence of forest personnel in modern forestry practices, biodiversity conservation, and climate adaptation strategies.

The program, sponsored by the HP Forest Department (Research & Training), Sundernagar, is designed to bridge the gap between research and field practices.

Dr. Vineet Jishtu, Scientist-E and Head of Extension Division at HFRI, highlighted that practical exposure to scientific equipment, research insights, and ecosystem understanding are the core of this hands-on training.

Participants will also be taken to Karol Tibba, Solan, on the second day for a field session focused on the identification and classification of local plant species.

On the concluding day, sessions will cover the Global Positioning System (GPS), the vital role of mycorrhiza in forest nurseries, and key provisions of the Forest Rights Act.

Addressing the trainees, Chief Guest K. Thirumal, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests, stressed the importance of technical knowledge and innovative thinking in forestry.

“A good nursery determines the success of any plantation.

By thinking out of the box and applying new knowledge, our frontline staff can not only grow in their careers but also strengthen the department’s efficiency,” he said.

Dr. Sandeep Sharma, Director, HFRI, underscored the institute’s long-term research on high-altitude transition zones in Himachal and the adverse impacts of global warming.

He explained how shrubs and trees prevent the albedo effect in alpine regions, absorb heat, and regulate the snowline. “Forests are not just big trees. Small plants, shrubs, and herbs are equally critical in maintaining ecological balance, and this needs to be understood during plantations,” Dr. Sharma added.

Highlighting the need for innovation, Dr. Sharma advocated the use of bio-pesticides and HIM growth boosters to protect beneficial microorganisms and promote eco-friendly forestry practices.

He also shared insights into modern nursery technologies and producing quality planting stock.

The training also featured sessions on forest mensuration techniques by Senior Technical Officer Mr. Kuldesh Kumar, while Mrs. Anju Tapwal from Art of Living conducted a workshop on stress management at the workplace.

The program saw participation from 25 frontline officers and staff from various forest divisions across Himachal Pradesh, equipping them with updated skills for sustainable forest management.

#HimachalForests #ClimateAction #SustainableForestry #BiodiversityConservation #CapacityBuilding #HFRI #ICFRE #GlobalWarming #EcoFriendlyForestry #ForestRights #StressManagement #HimachalPradesh

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