Institute for Adventure Sports may come up in Arunachal

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju today said that an institute for North East Mountaineering and Adventure Sports might come up in Arunachal Pradesh.
"I'll explore every possible way to establish the institute as the state with vast resources of adventure sports is yet to be explored," Rijiju said after flagging off the expedition of ace Arunachalee mountaineer Anshu Jamsenpa to scale Mount Everest for the fourth record time here.
Referring to Africa and America where mountaineering has become a source of revenue, the union minister said that a lot is required to be done to make adventure sports a medium of sustenance for the people in the state.

"Arunachalees are adventurous but mountaineering could be commercialised in the state only when people will start enjoying it. Society has to evolve to make adventure as a source of sustenance," he said.
"I am planning to convene a meeting soon with the Survey General of India, Indian Mountaineering Institute and the Army to explore the possibilities of developing mountain peaks as mountaineering destinations besides giving them names and defining clear-cut routes for expedition," he said.
Pointing out that Restricted Area Permit (RAP) and Protected Area Permit (PAP) had deterred growth of adventure tourism in the state, Rijiju said, the Centre with an aim to develop tourism in the state had relaxed restrictions in that direction.

"We have lifted restriction on RAP and PAP and the state government should work out other issues for development of tourism in the state.

"I want that all the peaks in the Himalayan belt should be opened for activities so that economic development begins.
"Any place in the state is a tourist spot but infrastructure and other facilities should be created," he said.
First Everester from the state Tapi Mra speaking on the occasion advocated developing Mount Kanto bordering West Kameng, East Kameng and Tawang districts besides Kra Daadi in Kurung Kumey district as mountaineering destinations in the state.