Palampur: Private paragliding schools shut in Bir-Billing

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, April 12

Amid a spurt in fatal paragliding mishaps, the Himachal Tourism Department today ordered the closure of all unregistered training schools operational in Bir-Billing here till further orders.

The orders were issued by District Tourism Development Officer Vinay Dhiman following a meeting with the local administration. Apart from Baijnath SDM, who is also the chairman of the Special Area Development (SADA), local paragliding pilots, representatives of the paragliding association and other stakeholders attended the meeting. The Tribune had highlighted the issue a few days ago following the death of a woman paragliding pilot, Ritu Chopra, from Noida on April 7. Dhiman said no private paragliding training schools would be allowed to function at Bir-Billing till new rules to regulate the adventure sport were framed.

Regulations to curb mishaps soon

• New rules regulating adventure sport to be framed soon
• Once rules are framed, Tourism Dept will register schools
• Weather stations will be set up at take-off, landing points
• Fliers to get manual, listing norms, areas prone to mishaps

Currently, there are no rules in place to register such institutes in the state.

The school owners have been directed to shut their websites immediately. He said after the framing of new rules, the Tourism Department would register all paragliding schools.

Expressing concern over paragliding mishaps, he said preventive action was being taken by the administration.

The department has decided to set up weather stations at take-off and landing points to provide updates to fliers. Besides, the department will provide a manual to all fliers, including foreign pilots, containing guidelines and listing areas prone to mishaps, difficult topography of Dhauladhar range and safe areas for emergency landing.

Besides, the department will set up communication towers for fliers.

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