Motorist who drove SUV through river in Himachal to evade jam fined

Manali:  An impatient motorist who drove his Delhi-registered SUV through the snow-fed Chandra river in Himachal Pradesh’s remote Lahaul Valley, risking his life to beat the traffic jam on Christmas Day, has been identified and fined Rs 3,500, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

Asking the tourists to enjoy nature and ecology and respect the local traditions and rich cultural heritage, Superintendent of Police Mayank Chaudhry warned the tourists not to mix drinking with driving, smoke at public places, perform stunt driving and haphazard parking of vehicles that chokes traffic while holidaying in the hills.

He said the Delhi-registered SUV DL4C BB 5780, was identified through CCTV footage and a fine of Rs 3,500 imposed under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

A video footage of the Thar SUV zooming through the Chandra river has gone viral of the social media and drew sharp criticism from locals.

For the past two days, there has been traffic congestion between Manali and snow-marooned Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district.

As per Chaudhary, approximately 28,000 vehicles carrying 150,000 people traversed the Atal Tunnel Rohtang, connecting Manali with Lahaul, in the past two days.

He said instructions have been issued to impose fines for negligence, rash and without seatbelt driving.

Travel agents told IANS a large chunk of tourists bound for Manali prefer a day-long visit of villages located in Lahaul with the opening of the Atal Tunnel. Officials admit the unregulated movement of the tourists in Lahaul is not sustainable and taking a toll on the fragile ecosystem and its people.

Its impact on environment includes degradation of vegetation, pollution and accumulation of waste, says an official.

Besides the innate beauty of the Himalayas, district headquarters Keylong, situated at an altitude of 10,354 ft, takes you to a land of Buddhism and monasteries and provides a taste of adventure too. Not open throughout the year, the landlocked Lahaul Valley, comprising over two dozen small and scattered villages, remains cut off owing to heavy snow accumulation from December onwards.

The entire valley is currently experiencing bone-chilling cold of minus 15-20 degrees Celsius.

The local population is mainly rural, spread across 521 villages. The Lahaulis are mostly farmers and grow cash crops such as peas and potatoes. The valley's seed potatoes are in great demand in states like West Bengal, Bihar and Karnataka.