Covid care centre at Pong lake hits tourist activities

Rajiv Mahajan

NURPUR, OCTOBER 4

The Regional Water Sports Centre (RWSC) on the Pong lake bank was all set to start adventure water sports activities for tourists. However, the rise in Covid-19 cases in lower Kangra areas, especially in Jawali and Fatehpur sub-divisions, and setting up of a Covid care centre at the RWSC complex, have forced the authorities to shelve the planned activities.

Bookings cancelled

Due to Covid care centre at the water sports centre complex, we have to cancel bookings of tourists and trainees, who come for water sports training. Keeping in view the little scope of starting adventure water tourism activities in future, we have returned three jet skis, four electronic foils, a jetovator and a high speed motorboat to the mountaineering institute, Manali — Rakesh Kumar, in charge of the sports centre

To attract tourists visiting the Pong lake, the Society of Western Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (SWHMI), Manali, had set up the requisite infrastructure at the RWSC two months ago. The plan was to provide adventure activities matching those at Goa and Kerala beaches here. Tourism had been stalled since March, when the Covid lockdown was imposed, and it had resumed last month. Besides water sports, the state Forest Department was also planning to start commercial boating in the lake but its motor boats are lying idle.

As per the information, the RWSC impart water sports training, especially in rafting and basic water course, to sports lovers from Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab every year. Apart from this, personnel of the Indian Air Force and paramilitary forces also get training.

Rakesh Kumar, in charge of the RWSC, said due to the Covid care centre at the RWSC complex, they had to cancel bookings of tourists and trainees who had come for water sports training. Keeping in view the little scope of starting adventure water tourism activities in the future, they had returned three jet skis, four electronic foils, a jetovator and a high speed motorboat to the SWHMI, Manali. He added that 15 persons had been imparted special training to run adventure water tourism activities in the Pong lake.