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Tourists welcome snowfall in Himachal

     Kufri (Himachal Pradesh): The onset of winter has given Himachal Pradesh its first spell of snowfall, much to the delight of tourists. There has been a steady flow of tourists in the resort town of Kufri, 15 kilometres from Shimla. Kufri is already under a foot of snow, and tourists were seen making snowmen and throwing snowballs at each other. "We have never seen snow before, though we have come here many times. This time was the best experience. We had lots of fun," said Baldev, a tourist from Haryana.

     Local farmers have welcomed the fun and frolic that comes with snowfall. Called the 'white-manure', they say snow also enhances the soil for the winter pea crop. "Snow does us a lot of good. It is good for our orchards and fields. It is good for the pea- crop. Besides, now that a lot of tourists have come in, we can drive taxis and make some extra money," said Manoj, a farmer from Kufri. Over the past few days, heavy snowfall has also been reported in Shimla, another tourist hot spot, where many were seen braving the elements and walking through the downpour. However, local authorities and residents fear that if the snowfall continues it might lead to road blockades and a disruption of normal life, as in Jammu and Kashmir. The economy of picturesque Himachal Pradesh is heavily dependent on tourism. More than three million domestic and foreign tourists visit the state annually.
-Dec 12,  2006

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