NGT to keep close vigil on adventure sports activities

National Green Tribunal has given <g data-gr-id="28">indication</g> of tight security guidelines for raft-owners and beach camps spread from Devprayag to Rishikesh in next hearing. By conducting close inspection

of beach camps and verifying their security measures, the tribunal can give green signal to rafting and beach camps. Barring for three months during <g data-gr-id="31">monsoon</g> season, rafting is an annual sports activity.

Bungee jumping is going to be the latest craze adventure-seeking youngsters on the Rishikesh-Neelkanth road. <g data-gr-id="29">Manjul</g> Rawat who is in this profession from the last two decades told, “More than 40,000 people are directly or indirectly earning their livelihood from beach camps, <g data-gr-id="40">rafting</g> and other adventure activity. The major part of <g data-gr-id="30">earning</g> via state tourism comes from rafting.”

“We have given licenses for 340 <g data-gr-id="25">rafts</g>. For beach camping and rafting, there is <g data-gr-id="39">provision</g> of getting NOC from the forest department. On regular <g data-gr-id="26">bases</g>, we check the illegal rafters and take strict action against them,” told RC Bhardwaj, assistant director in Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board. One camp owner at Shivpuri told, “We are already following the guidelines for rafting and beach camping as issued by state forest department and Uttarakhand tourism development board. We got <g data-gr-id="37">license</g> after getting clearance from <g data-gr-id="38">forest</g> department and tourism board.  “It is noteworthy that Rs 20,000 project of clean Ganga is planning to take action against the defaulters which are harming the Ganga water in many ways,” <g data-gr-id="36">Dr</g> Ranveer Singh, senior forest officer in Uttarakhand said.