Avtar Bhat
BASOHLI, July 3: With National Institute of Water Sports (NIWS), Goa giving an adverse report, the State Government’s plan to introduce water sports in Ranjit Sagar Dam, Basohli has fallen flat for the time being.
According to sources, on the persistent demand of the people of Basohli, the State Government had mooted a plan to introduce water sports at newly constructed Ranjit Sagar Dam at Basohli. It had sought a report from NIWS, Goa a premier body of experts on introduction of water sports in the country.
Sources said a high level team of experts from the Institute visited Basohli last year and after a preliminary survey they submitted their report to State Government stating that ferry services in Ranjti Sagar Dam was not possible. This has belied the hopes of the people of Basohli and adjoining areas who were expecting that with the introduction of water sports in the dam, Basohli will come on tourist map of the country and economy of the local people will get a boost.
In its report, the NIWS, Goa has submitted that water current is more in the dam so it will not be safe to run the ferry ships in it as the rocks inside the dam can cause any eventuality at any time.
The people of the Basohli are of the opinion that with the introduction of ferry ship in the Ranjti Sagar Dam the travel between Basohli and Satwain could have been reduced to a great extent.
However, sources said that the Tourism Department and Lakhanpur, Sarthal Development Authority has decided to once again approach the NIWS,Goa urging it to have another survey of the dam, official sources said and in case the expert opinion will be favourable only then the ferry services will be introduced in the dam.
Sources said that the State Government is under constant pressure from the people of Basohli to introduce water sports in Ranjit Sagar Dam which is spread at a length of 21 kilometres from village Thein to Hut in Basohli.
Admitting that Government was planning to run water sports in the dam, Lakhanpur Sarthal Development Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Bharat Bushan said that they could not go ahead with the decision as the NIWS,Goa gave an adverse report.
The expert opinion of the Institute was against running of ferry ships in the dam as it opined that the current of the water was more and running of ferry ships in it was not feasible.
He, however, said that the department has not given up the idea and it has urged the agency to conduct a fresh survey in this regard and it is hoped that the team will again visit the area to conduct a fresh survey on the basis of which the decision will be taken.
The running of water sports in the dam will boost the economy of the people of area especially those whose cultivable land was submerged in the dam and who were evacuated from the area to other places said Rajat Sharma a social activist of Basohli.
The issue was also taken by MLA Basohli, Jagdish Raj Sapolia and other leaders with the Government a number of times. Mr Sapolia who strongly advocates for introduction of water sports in the dam said that it can be a turning point in the life of the people of the area as this way Basohli will come on tourist map of the country and the tourists visiting the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh could also visit the dam and enjoy boat riding. This will boost the traditional art of Basohli also as the tourists visiting the area can purchase the world famous Basohli shawls and paintings etc which will give an impetus to the economy of the area, he added.
He regretted that the Government was not doing any thing in this regard and there is resentment among the people of Basohli in this regard. The Government has not shown any sincerity regarding the development of Basohli and people are suffering a lot said Ved Fanda, president Beopar Mandal Basohli.
He said a hope had emerged with the Government’s assurance of running water sports in the dam to promote tourism trade in the area but with the lackluster approach of the State Government it seems that introduction of same is a distant dream.
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