Ganderbal, Oct 24 (KNO): Chief Executive Officer of Wular-Manasbal Development Authority (WMDA), Dr Ehsan-ul-Haq Chishti on Saturday said the authority is exploring adventure tourism activities, including rock climbing, paragliding, zip-lining and rope cycling, to transform Manasbal from a day-tourism destination into a major adventure tourism hub.
Speaking at the fifth edition of Jashn-e-Manasbal, held at the Open Theatre in Manasbal, Chisti, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the authority is working to introduce new tourism activities while prioritising the conservation and cleanliness of Manasbal Lake.
Chishti said a team of mountaineers recently visited the area to assess its potential for adventure tourism. “We are hopeful that rock climbing can be introduced on an experimental basis from the next tourism season. We are also exploring paragliding, zip-lining and rope cycling," he said.
Highlighting conservation measures, Chishti said the authority undertook dredging of Manasbal Lake last year after nearly 15 years and has brought around 6.5 lakh square metres of the surrounding area under solid waste collection and disposal.
He said nearly 20 lakh gallons of water are drawn from the lake daily for drinking purposes, making its protection essential.
"Manasbal is not only a tourist destination but also an important source of drinking water and livelihood. Its conservation and preservation remain our top priorities," he said.
Chishti said several tourism assets that had remained closed or underutilised have been made functional through outsourcing arrangements.
He said the authority organised six to seven cultural events during the past year in collaboration with the Cultural Academy, besides performances involving the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, and a translation workshop with Sahitya Akademi.
The objective, he said, is to connect Manasbal's cultural heritage with tourism promotion.
Chishti said the initiatives are being undertaken under the vision of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and with the encouragement of his Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani.
He expressed hope that Manasbal would emerge as a prominent adventure tourism destination in Jammu and Kashmir and across the country.
The Jashn-e-Manasbal event was organised by the Wular-Manasbal Development Authority and Manasbal Dramatics in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages and the Department of Information and Public Relations—(KNO)