This Week Himachal Pradesh

Rebellion brews but Dhumal comfortable

As he completes the fourth year of his second term as Chief Minister,a firmly entrenched Prem Kumar Dhumal is now eyeing a third. The only potential challenger could have been veteran Virbhadra Singh,himself a five-time Chief Minister,but he has not yet got the Congress high commands signal to lead the party in the 2012 polls. Some BJP rebels,loyalists of Shanta Kumar,have started regrouping against Dhumal and rubber stamp Khimi Ram,state BJP president,whom they want replaced with a Shanta loyalist. They have met Nitin Gadkari but havent got their way.

Rains take heavy toll on road network

A long monsoon and frequent landslides have taken a very heavy toll on the state road network. The PWD says the excessive rains have given it practically no time for maintenance. Damage amounting to an estimated Rs 400 crore has been caused,the roads affected including Shimla-Kalka,Shimla-Pathankot and Chandigarh-Manali. The government is exploring the option of concrete roads,costly but durable against rain and snow. Nearly 100 km roads have been relaid with waste polythene bags,an experiment aimed at turning them waterproof.