Mini cruise plan hits ‘lake block’

It was an interesting dream project to run mini cruise ships in the hilly-state of Himachal Pradesh’s panoramic Pong Dam. But, it seems, the tourism department plan has hit a “lake block”. The Intelligence Bureau has raised a red flag and denied the permission to ply cruise ships within 1.5 km from the Pong dam head. Devendra Kumar Sharma, chairman of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), told The Sunday Guardian that the IB has communicated that no activity could be allowed in the dam waters within 1.5 km of the dam head. The BBMB has no objection in the Pong Dam lake beyond 1.5 km from the dam head. The BBMB manages the release of water in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan as it controls Bhakra, Pong and other dams. Without taking prior clearance from the BBMB and security agencies, the tourism department spent about Rs 4 crore on developing infrastructures in Dhameta, a place located about 400 meters from the dam structure. A loan was also raised from the Asian Development Bank. The department has already spent about Rs 8 lakh on developing the jetty for cruise, Rs 1.32 crore on about nine luxury tents, Rs 75 lakh on an open air cafe, Rs 5 lakh on landscaping, Rs 80 lakh on parking and toilets, and rest on other infrastructure.

The expenditure was done with an idea that tourists would stay at Dhameta and would be taken to the Pong Dam lake in a cruise. Now, the grand cruise idea stands shelved, at least, for the time being, till security requirements are fulfilled. Now, a search is on to identify an alternate site beyond 1.5 kilometre from the dam head.