<span style="color: #222222;">The Monsoon session of Himachal Pradesh Assembly began in Shimla today with speaker Vipin Singh Parmar's address under strict COVID-19 protocol.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">This is the first session of the state Assembly after the coronavirus-triggered lockdown was imposed in March.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The speaker informed the house about the steps taken to check spread of novel coronavirus during the session.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The session, which will conclude on 18th of September, will have 10 sittings.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Parmar said about 900 questions have been received from legislators to be asked during the session.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">On this occasion the veteran legislator and former chief minister Virbhadra Singh was also present in the house.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">However, Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur could not attend the session as he tested positive for the coronavirus.</span><br />''