Skiers rue lack of lifts, snow-beaters at Narkanda, Solang

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 29

Skiers lambasted the state tourism and sports establishment for failure to create basic skiing facilities like ski lifts and snow-beaters at Narkanda near Shimla and Solang in Manali. Solang is hosting the National Winter Games Championships from February 2 to 6.

The skiers said the state government had failed to equip the ski resorts with proper ski lifts and snow beaters, which are a must for skiing as per norms fixed by the Federation de Ski Internationale, a world body, that governs winter games. This time, over 150 budding skiers have reached Narkanda and Solang for learning the basic ski courses as the 3 feet snow has turned out to be a boon for skiing.

The Himachal Pradesh Winter Games Association (HPWGA) in partnership with Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS), Manali, and Manali Winter Carnival Committee are organising the national championships at Solang.

“Solang and Narkanda are two recognised ski slopes in Himachal, but the skiers do not find basic facilities such as a ski lifts and snow-beaters there,” the skiers said. “It is by desi jugaad that the ski slopes of Solang are being readied for the national championships”, rued the skiers.

They said they were paying Rs 10,500 for the 14-day long ski courses both at Narkanda and Solang. This time, more batches are coming as snow will last till March. “The previous government had sanctioned Rs 25 lakh for setting up a ski lift at the resort, but nothing has been done this time.