HC bans river rafting in Uttarakhand

Nainital, June 22: The Uttarakhand high court has banned white river rafting and paragliding across the state till the government frames a transparent policy on adventure sports.

A division bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Lokpal Singh, in a recent order, gave the state government two weeks to draft a policy to regulate adventure sports.

The court order came on a PIL contending that the government had issued illegal leases in favour of private entrepreneurs including those in Rishikesh, offering adventure sports facilities, to operate from the Ganga river bed.

Nainital, June 22: The Uttarakhand high court has put a ban on white river rafting and paragliding across the state till a transparent policy is framed by the state government on adventure sports.

Underlining the need to regulate adventure sports like white river rafting and paragliding, a division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Lokpal Singh in a recent order directed the state government to prepare a transparent policy on adventure sports in the state within two weeks.

Till such a policy is framed, no paragliding, white river rafting and other water sports shall be permitted in the state of Uttarakhand, the court said. The court order came on a PIL alleging issuance of illegal leases in favour of private parties in Ganga riverbed.

The PIL contended that temporary structures are permitted to be set up on the banks of river Ganga and rafting is carried out in the river by private entrepreneurs in the river without any legal sanction.

The Uttarakhand high court's order imposing a ban on river rafting and paragliding across the state has come as a shocker to adventure sports companies and adventure tourists who say a blanket ban is not the solution.

The order has, however, been welcomed by the environmentalists who said the high court order was in interest of the environment and ecology.

Arvind Bhardwaj of Red Chilli Adventure said the high court order will hit the rafting business very hard as it would render the people jobless.

“I am involved in adventure activities in Rishikesh for the last 24 years. I am surprised to hear of this order. The state government had already issued guidelines for rafting. "To put a ban on white river rafting and paragliding across the state is very harsh direction. Our business has come to a standstill. This is the peak season for tourists. Now we will have to cancel all the bookings. Huge loss would be suffered by us. Putting a blanket ban is not the solution. A proper monitoring has to be put in place for effective implementation of laws,” Mr Bhardwaj added.