Congress, allies sabotaged Jammu’s national projects: Dr Jitendra Singh
The minister further alleged that the Congress also denied 4% reservation to the people living along the International Border in this region.
Death of three persons in two separate mishaps recently during rafting in the Lidder stream at Pahalgam in Kashmir has put a question mark on the safety of tourists undertaking the adventure sport.
A rafting organiser lost his life last month while saving six tourists from drowning. Two others, including a woman, drowned a few days ago while taking part in a rafting championship.
These incidents have exposed the lack of safety measures being provided by the tourism department to the rafters.
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Rafting in the iconic Lidder is on the itinerary of most tourists coming from the plains and who are amateur in the adventure sport and the current of the water in the stream is unpredictable. Many of them board the raft only to be photographed.
There were reports that several persons were unauthorisedly operating in rafting and paragliding activities at various places in the state. Those involved in tourism trade have sought strict monitoring of such activities.
Faced with criticism following the back-to-back mishaps, the Tourism Department, Srinagar has suspended rafting in the Kashmir valley till a robust safety mechanism is put in place.
Sonamarg and other water bodies in Kashmir are also witnessing rafting and other water sports.
Chenab, which is among the world’s most turbulent rivers, is also witnessing rafting activities. Doda, Kishtwar and Reasi in the Jammu division have also become centres of rafting on the Chenab. However, proper safety measures were lacking in these places as well.
The river sport was being held in a better safety environment on the Indus in Ladakh where domestic and foreign tourists, as well as professional rafters, enjoy rafting in the freezing waters flowing from the glaciers.
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