835 roads closed in Himachal, Met predicts more heavy snowfall on Monday
Shimla (PTI): As many as 835 roads, including three national highways, remained closed for traffic movement in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, as a result of heavy snowfall.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department has predicted that a fresh western disturbance is likely to cause heavy snowfall in the higher reaches of the state from Monday.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, about 282 roads, including NH 3 (Leh-Manali) and NH 505 (Kaza-Gramphu), are blocked in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti.
As many as 234 roads are closed in Shimla; 110 in Mandi; 78 in Chamba; 65, including NH 305 (Sainj-Luhri-Aut) in Kullu; 41 in Sirmour; 18 in Kinnaur; four in Kangra, and three in Una.
Additionally, around 1,942 transformers were disrupted across the state, which include 789 in Shimla district, 354 in Sirmour, 284 in Mandi, 277 in Chamba, 174 in Kullu, 27 in Lahaul and Spiti, and 23 in Solan, leaving thousands of households without electricity.
Light snowfall and rain were observed at isolated places in the higher reaches on Sunday, while weather in most parts of the state was dry.
Cold wave conditions were observed in Manali, Una, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi and Bilaspur. The lowest temperature, 10 degrees Celsius, was recorded at Tabo village in the Lahaul and Spiti district.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has predicted another spell of heavy snowfall in the higher reaches from Monday onwards, due to a fresh western disturbance.
It has issued a yellow warning for the entire state for Monday, predicting thunderstorms and lightning, along with gusty winds, at isolated places.
The weather department has issued an orange alert for Kullu, Kinnaur, Chamba and Lahaul and Spiti districts on Tuesday, forecasting heavy snowfall and rains. For the remaining nine districts, it has issued a yellow alert, predicting a cold day with thunderstorms and lightning.
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Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University, Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ passes away at 63
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Mangaluru: Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ, Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University Rector of St Aloysius Institutions, and Vice President of Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society (MJES), breathed his last on Friday, April 10. He was 63.
Born in 1963, Fr Melwin Pinto completed his schooling and college education at St Aloysius before joining the Jesuit order on June 20, 1981. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest on April 14, 1997.
Over the years, he held several academic qualifications, including an MA in English, a Master’s degree in Education, and diplomas in psychology and counselling as well as school administration.
He began his career in education as headmaster of St Joseph’s Primary School and High School in Hassan, serving between 1996 and 1999.
He later founded St Joseph’s Indian PU College and served as its principal until 2007. He subsequently served as headmaster of St Aloysius High School, Mangaluru, from 2007 to 2011, and later as principal of St Joseph’s PU College, Hassan, until 2012.
Fr Melwin Pinto also worked with Vatican Communications and Radio in Rome, contributing to its English desk for Asia and Indian languages.
He later served as superior and director of Fatima Retreat House in Valencia for two years from May 2017, before being appointed as superior of the Jesuit study home ‘Vidyaniketan’ in Dharwad.
He was also closely associated with the development of St Aloysius Institutions and played a key role in securing the status of a Deemed-to-be University. His contribution to the education sector and efforts towards innovation were widely acknowledged. He was known for maintaining close relations with people from all sections of society.
Legislative Council MLA Ivan D’Souza, in a statement, said the demise of Fr Melwin J Pinto was a huge loss to the educational and religious fields and had created a significant void in society.
Dakshina Kannada District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao also expressed grief, stating that his service and contributions to education would always be remembered.
Details regarding the funeral are yet to be announced.
