Developing water sports in Ranjit Sagar dam, still a dream

Developing water sports in Ranjit Sagar dam, still a dream

 Yash Khajuria     

JAMMU, Apr 16: It was supposed to be developed as biggest water sports facility in Jammu and Kashmir, but due to the apathetic attitude of the government, the project has failed. 

Despite a survey of Ranjit Sagar dam conducted through National Institute of Water Sports Goa, due to the lethargic approach of the government, no private company had come to submit their tenders for developing the site.

Nearly seven activities were recommended in the survey report to develop it as a water sports spot, but it has remained a dream. 

Jagdish Raj Sapolia, MLA from the area alleged that government as per its discriminatory attitude towards Jammu is not interested to develop such sports in the province. He said that the companies will only come forward to develop this place if they see some hope of business that is tourist attraction, and the area including 23 kilometer of lake stretch, have enriched amount of environment and potential to attract tourist across the country. 

“But Government is not initiating any step towards this exercise”, he said. Over this concern, when contacted to the Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Zora said that the Government has offered tender notice and nobody has shown interest for the developmental practice at that place. “For second time we issued tenders but nobody came forward”. 

Answering to a question that, what are the reasons that government did not get any positive response over the project, Jora said, “Besides government is always there to promote the tourism and culture in any possible spot, but who wants to make his own loss by investing in an inane manner. If somebody will see any possibility of profitable business and comes to the government side we will definitely move forward to the said project. 

He said that Basholi has been kept at large by the government till day, “isn’t its comical to hear from the tourism minister that a place which has been honored with a special Art gallery at London “Basholi Art Gallery” in which paintings and Pashmina Shawl of the area are being preserved by the foreigners” has no tourism attraction at all.