Govt keeps private body off paragliding c’ship

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, September 17

The government will not involve any private agencies in the organisation of the International Paragliding World Cup Championship. The government has not allowed the Billing Paragliding Association (BPA) to hold the event. Sudhir Sharma, former Congress minister, was the patron of the association.

Earlier, the BPA, a private body, was authorised to conduct the paragliding events and funds were also transferred to the account of the body. Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the government had directed the Special Area Development Authority (SADA), Bir, a government agency, to conduct the championship in collaboration with the Tourism Department in the last week of October. Representatives of SADA will hold a meeting with Ram Subhag Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism and Civil Aviation, on September 21 in Shimla for the arrangements of the event.

SDM, Baijnath, Vikas Shukla, who is also the chairman of SADA, said as per directions of the state government, it had started preparations for the championship. He said 200 local paragliding pilots would assist SADA in the holding of the event. SADA had applied for the completion of formalities like permission from the Aero Club of India and the PWCA, global agency in Paris, which is the key organisation for the holding of global adventurous events.

He said the SADA had also appointed a director, who would monitor the movement of all pilots. Besides, Ranvijay Singh, a paragliding superman, would provide all technical assistance to it. SADA had also requested a Delhi-based aviation company to extend support to fliers during the event.

Meanwhile, the People’s Voice, a local NGO, has welcomed the decision of the state government to conduct the event by a government agency. Spokesman the NGO said this decision would save crores of rupees.