Rafting in lower Beas basin to generate employment

Dinesh Kanwar

After many unsuccessful attempts to explore rafting opportunities in the lower basin of the Beas, this time the Hamirpur district administration has made efforts to start the adventure sport activity near Nadaun. Significantly, district administration officers did rafting to ascertain the speed of the flow of water in the river. The earlier rafting expedition of officers proved to be only picnic trips at the cost of the exchequer. These attempts were made from Sujanpur Bhaleth and from Amtar to Nadaun. A private rafter, Somnath, had also tried to encourage rafting at Nadaun but he could not continue for long following a poor response.

To kick-start rafting in the Beas near Nadaun was the initiative of Kiran Bhadana, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). She encouraged locals to come forward for rafting and make it a livelihood generation option for the youth. A trial run was conducted on November 17 this year in which Deputy Commissioner Harikesh Meena, SP Arjit Sen Thakur and SDM Kiran Bhadana went on a rafting expedition from the Nadaun riverbank to the Chamba Pattan riverbank with rafting expert Nitin Kumar.  

Kiran says that the area offered opportunities for multiple activities and can emerge as a tourist destination. She adds that as rafting is a major attraction, a number of camping, trekking, climbing and fishing sites can be developed to attract tourists to the region. 

She says that Nitin, an expert rafter from Uttarakhand, has been given permission for rafting between Nadaun and Chamba Pattan.

Kiran says that rafting has been successful in generating employment in many parts of the country and in Himachal as well. It has added anoter feature to the tourism activity as clubbed with other activities such as paragliding, night camping, zip lining and trekking, she adds.

Nitin says that the water flow in the river comes in the ‘Rapid-1’ category, which is considered as the safest water for rafting. So, here rafting will not be risky and people can enjoy longer time in river water, he adds

The ‘Rapid-1’ type is easy moving water with small waves and least or no obstacles. ‘Rapid-2’ has moderate difficulty, clear passages, rapid waves rising up to three feet and can tug the boat to the extent that is easy to handle.    

Rushing downstream with strong river flows, negotiating soft and turbulent rapids, and with water splashes hitting on the face, water rafting was an adventure sport that makes adrenaline working thick and fast. The rivers originating from the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh offer typical types of water rapids that offer rafting opportunities to both armature learners and expert rafting freaks. Rafting is a regular feature for tourism enthusiasts.

The Sutlej, the Beas and the Ravi in Himachal offer safe rapids for joy rides while the Chandra and Bhaga rivers in Lahul and Spiti offer daring rapids for experts.