By : Mohan Verma
The cold wave hit life in this hill state and took two lives as two bodies were recovered in Shimla district today. Meanwhile life is out of gear as National Highway 22 could not be opened for vehicular traffic for fourth day also.
Police sources said that bodies of Chet Ram (40) and Papu (45) were recovered near Samdhu about 7 kilometer from Theog in Shimla district, who died of cold wave last night. Both were inebriated and out of house.
National Highway between Shimla to Kufri and Narkanda remained closed for fourth day also as it was snowbound. Vehicular traffic has been sent to Chopal via Poanta Sahib while Rohru, Jubbal and Kotkhai is cut off from rest of the world. Similarly road communication to the district Kinnaur could not restored after recent heavy snowfall.
Minimum and maximum temperature gave little respite today as it was increased by 3 to 4 and 1 to 2 degrees respectively in the state during last 24 hours. Keylong headquarters of Lahaul & Spiti district is still cut off from rest of the world and was recorded minus 15 degrees Celsius.
Kalpa in Kinnaur district was low at minus 5 degrees, Manali minus 2 degrees, Bhuntar 0.2 degrees, Shimla town 0.4 degrees, Solan, Chamba and Sundernagar 1 degrees each, Hamirpur and Kangra 2 degrees, Una and Palampur in Kangra district 3 degrees, Bilaspur and Nahan 4 degrees, Dharamshala and Dalhousie 6 and 7 degrees respectively.
The Met office forecast rain or snowfall at isolated parts of Himachal Pradesh in middle and high reaches.
