MANALI
National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order to ban commercial paragliding at Solang valley has put an end to this adventure game in Manali. Due to this, paragliders have now identified a new site for this game which now requires government approval.
Paragliders have identified a site close to Burua village, about 7 km from Manali. The high hill and vast valley is capable of handling more paragliders than that in Solang. Local youth said they had submitted a proposal to identify this area for paragliding many months ago but they did not get any response, reports The Times of India.
Roshan Thakur, first civilian paraglider of the country and president of Upper Manali Tourism Foundation, said the area is wider and safer than Solang. “Only we need to connect the take off site by road or ropeway as all tourists will not be able to do uphill climb.” He said they will request tourism department to let them permission conduct paragliding near Burua village.
Tourism, forest and revenue department are marking the area to get lease of the land from forest department so that paragliding, horse riding, zorbing and other games could be resumed according to the guidelines of NGT. But as the process may take long, even more than a year, paragliders are searching for an optional site. In Burua, both take off and landing sites can be developed in private land.
