The Loss of Shimla Pristine Beauty And Its Developmental Setting .

Shimla, in early morning after night snowfall glows in its pristine beauty. The city wears a sagely Himalayan abode look. A thick blanket of snow on rooftops and snow-clad trees and roads presents a fascinating scenario all over. And if you happens to walk past a Himalayan Cedar-lined trees (Deodar), there is every possibility that the snow cracks oozing out of trees fall on you sending shiver down your spine.

In the wee hours the capital city is too serene, no movement of vehicles and youwill find a rare movement of normal life . Everything is ate standstill. Even the capering Simians running from one building to another and part of Shimla early morning life disappear. The uncanny silence may scare the city stickers but for Nature lover, its a blessings in disguise. Tourists enjoy the most as they flock Shimla on hearing the news. Those who have just arrived before night snowfall see a heavenly-sent opportunity. Shimla ridge becomes the centre for snowball game.

However, heavy snowfall usually brings miseries to citizens as water and power supply is disrupted. Even tourists are effected by the disruption in power and water supply as water pipes get freezed and powerlines snapped. it takes many hours. if not days to restore the supplies. Even supply of milk, vegetables from outside are disrupted.Its same situation in Local residents remain prepared for this situation.

The commercialization of the hill cities have brought more miseries than the prosperity to the local people. It has led to metaphoric changes in the ecology and erosion of hills. Gradual caving in of the Ridge in Shimla on its vintage north-end was noticed in early seventies. Since than it has further aggravated. There is a big storage tank beneath the Ridge built by the Britishers in 1880 to meet Shimla’s drinking water needs and now engendering the Ridge . Shimla falls in the active Seismic zone –IV that further makes the Ridge a vulnerable point. The sinking of the Ridge is seen a big threat to the town's heritage and its buildings”

I think developmental setting of hills are entirely different of plain areas. It has to be determined by its ecological advantages. Hill cities direly need to conserve their pristine beauty. And Shimla should be, by all means, protected as "Queen of the hills". Its gradually moving away from it.

(Chander Sharma)