Saurabh Chauhan is a correspondent reporting from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, covering Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, Agriculture. Previously reported from Mohali (Punjab), Shimla (HP) and covered Political, Civil Admin, Finance beats.
Articles by Saurabh Chauhan
Three weeks before polls, drugs and liquor flow in HP
With three weeks left for polling, liquor, drugs and money are being used to entice electors in Himachal Pradesh.
Updated on Apr 18, 2014 11:20 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Himachal Lokhit Party is not Congress’ ‘B’ team
The time before the Lok Sabha elections this year did not augur well for the two-year-old Himachal Lokhit Party, as one leader after the other rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Scion of the erstwhile ruling family of Kullu and HLP chief Maheshwar Singh is upset over his colleagues deserting him at the eleventh hour, but at the same time, he is hopeful that his party would emerge as the third alternative.
Updated on Apr 16, 2014 09:16 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
500 files sent to EC for clearance in one month
After the enforcement of the poll code on March 5, the state secretariat nowadays bears a deserted look, with files piling up in the office of the State Election Commission for permissions for administrative decisions, including in minor matters like transfers and postings of junior staff.
Updated on Apr 07, 2014 11:00 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Fluctuating temperature, prolonged winter worry growers
The inclement weather and fluctuating temperature in the state is giving sleepless nights to fruit growers of Himachal. Fruit growers are apprehensive about the crop production as fruit setting process has already been delayed.
Updated on Apr 07, 2014 11:40 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Hydel power project deal after dues cleared: Abu Dhabi firm
Abu Dhabi-based international energy and water firm TAQA has claimed that it will buy two hydropower projects being run by the Jaypee Group in Kinnaur district only after the Indian firm clears all its dues.
Updated on Apr 05, 2014 11:33 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Lok Sabha elections'Turncoats' active in the state
The time before the elections has always been a season of change of heart and loyalties for many politicians in the state, some of whom are considered to have "aced the game". This year too, many leaders are weighing their options and swaying with the political waves.
Updated on Mar 27, 2014 07:22 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Voting rights: Young tibetans happy, older lot sceptical
While the younger generation of the Tibetan diaspora in the country is rejoicing over the landmark decision allowing them to cast votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, some elders are sceptical, as they think that giving them voting rights could dilute their half-a-century-old struggle to return to their homeland.
Updated on Mar 21, 2014 09:12 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
EC to monitor liquor sale in state
It will not be easy for political parties to woo Bacchus-lovers during these Lok Sabha elections, as the election commission will keep a tab on liquor sale in vends across the state.
Updated on Mar 18, 2014 11:03 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Student outfits to campaign for parent political parties
With Lok Sabha elections round-the-corner, student outfits in the state are gearing up to campaign for their parent political bodies.
Updated on Mar 16, 2014 11:45 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Lok Sabha elections: Student outfits to campaign for parties
With Lok Sabha elections round-the-corner, student outfits in the state are gearing up to campaign for their parent political bodies.
Updated on Mar 15, 2014 08:09 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
HP gets 18,000 additional electors in special campaign
Enthusiasm apparently ran high among people who were eligible to vote but were left out from the electoral roll, as notwithstanding the holiday, 18,075 additional electors were added in a special one-day enrollment campaign on Sunday. The drive was carried out at 7,382 booths of all four parliamentary seats.
Updated on Mar 12, 2014 07:57 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
EC takes children's help to increase turnout
Don't be surprised if your five-year-old child asks you to vote this time. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is counting on schoolchildren to persuade their parents to vote. Besides, it will also rope in crèche workers to boost the poll percentage.
Updated on Mar 09, 2014 07:26 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
EC takes children's help to increase turnout
Don't be surprised if your five-year-old child asks you to vote this time. The election commission is counting on schoolchildren to persuade their parents to vote. Besides, it will also rope in crèche workers to boost the poll percentage.
Updated on Mar 08, 2014 09:58 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
First in HP: social media activities now under EC scanner
The Election Commission has decided to maintain vigil over social networking websites, used extensively by politicians to reach out to the voters, and has constituted a dedicated special cell to track candidates' online campaigns.
Updated on Mar 06, 2014 08:26 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Payment of Rs 127.5-cr wages under MNREGA delayed in HP
While the Centre's recent decision to increase the number of workdays under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) has brought cheer to the tribal residents of rural areas in the state, the grim reality is that the wages are not always paid in time.
Updated on Mar 05, 2014 06:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
State govt aims big, seeks Rs 101 crore for horticulture activities from Centre
For getting maximum assistance from the Centre, the state horticulture department will soon submit a proposal and seek Rs 101 crore under projects it would carry out in the state as part of the Centre-funded Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) in the 2014-15 fiscal.
Updated on Mar 03, 2014 11:54 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Fruit growers fret as weather gods continue to blow cold
Recent snow and rain that has brought down temperature across the state has become a cause for concern for fruit growers, expecially those growing stone fruit such as plum, cherry, peach and apricot.
Updated on Mar 02, 2014 06:25 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Tobacco advertisement ban goes up in smoke in Himachal
The ban on advertisement of cigarettes and other tobacco products continues to be flouted in the state, especially in rural areas.
Updated on Feb 24, 2014 07:14 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Migrant labourers hurdle in making state open defecation-free
In spite of the government's claims of Himachal Pradesh being an open defecation-free (ODF) state, majority of migrant labourers defecate in the open in rural areas of the state.
Updated on Feb 20, 2014 07:22 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Migrant labourers hurdle in making state open defecation free
Despite the government's claims of Himachal Pradesh being an open defecation free (ODF) state, majority of migrant labourers defecate in the open in rural areas of the state.
Updated on Feb 19, 2014 06:50 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Uncertainty over ban: plastic-packed food products runs out of stock
With the Supreme Court stay on the Himachal High Courts orders, to ban the sale of food items packed in non-biodegradable packs, except essential items as milk and edible oil, coming to end on February 13, the stock of the plastic packed foods have begun to run out from the retail shops across the state.
Updated on Feb 02, 2014 08:25 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
HPMC to submit a proposal seeking law for making standard packaging material
The Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce, Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) was making all efforts to make the apple produce of the state internationally competitive. The task to design standardised carton had been assigned to Indian institute of Packaging (IIP) by agricultural and processed food products export development authority (APEDA)
Updated on Feb 01, 2014 06:58 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Critical records destroyed in Gorton Castle fire
Original records of several government employees, particularly pensioners, were destroyed in a fire that broke out in the century-old Gorton Castle, destroying 60 out of 125 rooms.
Updated on Jan 29, 2014 07:40 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
First time voters to play decisive role in LS pollsHimachal is set to add 62, 133 first time voters
Even as political parties are coaxing with the electorates across Himachal for the Lok Sabha election, they must have set their eyes on first time voters, who will be granted the franchise rights by the state Election Commission on National Voter's Day on January 25.
Updated on Jan 24, 2014 06:10 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Agriculture as an occupation fails to entice youths
In spite of the fact that farming has been a major livelihood for the people of Himachal Pradesh, agriculture as an occupation has failed to attract the youths of the state.
Updated on Jan 19, 2014 06:56 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Vehicle owners bearing brunt of scanty parking spaces in Shimla
Blame it on coldness of traffic cops or lack of parking places, the vehicles owners in Shimla are a harried lot, evinces the last year's police records when 40,000 vehicles were challaned, mostly for wrong parking.
Updated on Jan 13, 2014 07:34 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
BJP, Cong aim to mobilise young voters ahead of polls
Controversy over functioning of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association may have been fuelled political fire between chief minister Virbhadra Singh and his predecessor Prem Kumar Dhumal, but cricket, as it seems, has come handy to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to mobilise youths ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, while the Congress is busy seeking views from the youngsters on its manifesto.
Updated on Jan 12, 2014 06:18 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
HP to urge Centre for restoration of special industrial package
The Himachal Pradesh government is all set to raise the issue of special industrial package to the state with the Centre on January 11. Industries minister Mukesh Agnihotri along with industries officials will meet union commerce minister Anand Sharma and raise the long-pending demand of restoration of industrial package for the state.
Updated on Jan 10, 2014 07:17 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
Snow and ski give Narkanda youth self-employment chances
The only spell of snowfall before Christmas in the state, which gave a white blanket to the hilly slopes of Narkanda, is luring skiers and has become a source of self-employment for local youth.
Updated on Jan 06, 2014 06:41 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla
HP sets learning standards to ensure quality education in Govt schools
Amongst the top states in implementation of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Himachal Pradesh is now all set to become the first state to notify 'learning standards' set under the education program which would help improve learning among students in government schools.
Updated on Jan 04, 2014 07:23 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Saurabh Chauhan, Shimla