Pong Dam to be water sports hub: Vikramaditya

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 18

Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh today said that the issue of developing the Pong Dam in Kangra district as a water sports hub would be taken up with the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

Vikramaditya, while addressing mediapersons here, said that after consulting Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the issue of developing the Pong Dam for tourism and sports activities would be taken up. “The Chief Minister has proposed to develop Kangra from tourism point of view. We are keen to promote water sports and for this we will hold talks with the BBMB,” he added.

He said that the Pong Dam would be developed jointly with the Tourism Department for water sports “The BBMB has a lot of land and after holding talks with its management, we will try and reclaim the extra land to make the Pong Dam a water sports hub,” he added.

He said that facilities like golf courses and cruise and shikara rides would be provided at the Pong Dam to make it a major tourist attraction.

The minister said that contrary to the perception being created that Kangra was being ignored, an announcement had been made in the Budget for making the district the tourism capital of the state.

He said, “The Budget reflects outside the box thinking of the Chief Minister. His endeavour is to make Himachal a ‘green state’. The switch over to electric vehicles will go a long way in keeping our environment pollution free.”

The minister said that a new sports policy would be formulated to promote rural, water and winter sports in Himachal. “It is unfortunate that not even one meeting of the Sports Council was held in the past five years. This only reflects the non-seriousness of the previous BJP government towards sports promotion,” he added.

He said that Rs 1,350 crore had been allocated in the Budget for the PWD. “Only two of all works being undertaken under NABARD and state heads will be allotted to contractors so that these can be completed in a time frame,” he added.

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