Arunachal Pradesh tourism secretary Sadhana Deori on Wednesday distributed paragliding and other adventure sets to 16 members of the Paragliding Association of Arunachal Pradesh (PAAP) at Lumdung village in East Kameng district.
The paragliding and other adventure sets were distributed under the Chief Minister’s Paryatan Vikash Yojna (CMPVY).
The event marked the conclusion of a 25-day survey for paragliding sites across the state.
Deori appreciated the efforts of PAAP and said the tourism department will always support the association for developing the state as one of India’s prime adventure destinations besides encouraging people to take up paragliding for offering services to visitors.
“The tourism department is reaching out to the local communities to make Arunachal Pradesh the paragliding paradise of the North East,” she further said.
PAAP president Bengia Mrinal said Basar, Anini, Mechuka, Dambuk and Paya near Aalo were found to be feasible for carrying out paragliding activity.
The adventure calendar festivals under the department of tourism will include paragliding as one of the most promising adventure activities, he informed.
He sought the help of the tourism department and East Kameng district administration for developing infrastructure at Lumdung for the upcoming international paragliding events wherein 100 paragliders, including 25 of international repute is expected to participate.
Mrinal also said that a paragliding school in London wants to explore Arunachal once MHA lifts restrictions on the visit of foreign tourists.
Arunachal Pradesh Tour Operators’ Association (APTOA) secretary Kush Thakur assured the inclusion of Lumdung as a major tourist destination in the Itanagar-Pakke Kessang-Seppa tourist circuit to boost the local economy.
Among others, tourism deputy director Bengia Manna Sonam, ICDS deputy director Kapil Natung, PWD assistant engineer Taluk Sonam, Seppa DTO Mamung Danyi, TIO (headquarters) Vijay Sonam and Himachal Pradesh-based paragliding trainer Raju Rai attended the distribution event.