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Sikkim youths in bid to promote river rafting

With a view to promoting adventure tourism, unemployed youths of Melli in South Sikkim have started ‘professional rafting’ in the…

Sikkim youths in bid to promote river rafting

Rangit Triveni Rafting and Rescue Team. (Photo: SNS)

With a view to promoting adventure tourism, unemployed youths of Melli in South Sikkim have started ‘professional rafting’ in the Rangit river.

The group, Rangit Triveni Rafting and Rescue Team, has become the first such group to take up professional rafting in the river.

“This is our effort to promote adventure tourism in the region. It will not only boost the tourism sector, but also generate employment for enterprising youths,” said one of the members of the group, Dinesh Rai.

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The service was launched on 18 March after the group received a license and clearance from the Forest Department.

“This is an unexplored region in terms of river rafting. The current flow is good and the activity can be included in the tourism map for South District,” Mr Rai said.

Rafting in the river start from Rolu and goes up to Champa, covering a distance of 5.5 km, group members said. “We charge Rs 4500 for long distance rafting, and Rs 3500 for the short one of 3.5 km. One raft can accommodate almost seven people at a time,” the members said.

An expert swimmer and a guide would be available to assist those in the raft. “We are grateful to the Travel Agents’ Association of Sikkim (TAAS) for the guidance,” said the members.

Ritesh Rai, a TAAS member, said his association would help promote and brand the initiative.

“We need support from the government in making rafting more vibrant in the Rangit river,” another member of the rafting group, Chetan Thapa, said.

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