Rain threat looms over investors’ meet

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 5

The warning of heavy rain, snow and thunderstorm, accompanied by lightning and hail, in the middle hills and heavy rain/snow in the higher hills on November 7 has cast a shadow on the “Rising Himachal Global Investors Meet”, which is to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the same day.

The MeT has also warned of thunderstorm, accompanied by lightning, at isolated places on November 6. Officials engaged in making arrangements for the major event for the past more than a year are on the edge.

Dharamsala is one of the wettest places in the state, highly prone to earthquakes. Heavy rain not only triggers landslides, but also disrupts vehicular movement and leads to flight cancellation.

Since, a galaxy of VVIPs, honchos, ambassadors from 16 countries and investors from foreign countries are scheduled to come for the two-day meet, inclement weather on November 6 and 7 is a potential threat for the success of the event.

Recently, the IPL match in Dharamsala was washed out due to rain. Another disturbing feature of the weather cycle in Dharamsala is that many times, it receives heavy rain even when the weather is dry in other parts of the state.

The MeT office has also predicted heavy rain and thundershowers in the middle and lower hills and heavy rain/snow at most places in the higher hills on November 7. Also, the middle and lower hills may witness rain and thundershowers on November 6 and 8, implying that the rain god will continue to haunt the organisers throughout the event.

The monsoon had ended with 10 per cent deficit rain and the post monsoon rain deficit from October 1 to November 5 was 19 per cent. However, the silver lining is that Dharamsala is pleasant with minimum and maximum temperatures at 14.0 degrees C and 20.8 degrees C.