Vande Mataram by 5,000 to be winter carnival attraction

Our Correspondent

KULLU, DECember 18

Forests, Transport and Youth Services and Sports Minister Govind Singh Thakur has said new activities will be included in the winter carnival in Manali to be held from January 2 to 6.

During a review meeting of the organising committee today, he said a national-level winter sports tournament would be held during the festival. A budget of Rs 15 lakh had been approved for the purpose. A fund of Rs 5 lakh would be provided by the Winter Carnival Committee.

Govind said the Indian Olympic Association, Sports Ministry and Winter Games Federation were also being contacted.

The minister said Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur would inaugurate the carnival on January 2 and, besides cultural tableaux, singing of Vande Mataram by 5,000 persons would be the main attraction on day one. The minister urged all members of the committee to work together for its success.

He said Rs 30 lakh had been sanctioned for the repair of Aleo bridge. The work on a bypass was being done and efforts would be made to open it temporarily in the wake of New Year and the winter carnival.

The minister said possibilities would be explored to construct a multi-purpose building on the PWD premises and an indoor stadium at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Mountaineering and Allied Sports Institute at Manali. A special vehicle and snow-cutter was being provided to the administration to deal with any kind of emergency during snowfall.

Kullu DC Yunus Khan and Manali SDM Raman Gharsangi presented the details of the preparations for the celebrations. The DC said the auditions had been done for the Winter Queen and the Voice of the Carnival and about 110 Mahila Mandals had been registered for cultural tableaux and Nati.