Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 16:The Surinsar-Mansar twin lakes were thronged by hundreds of enthusiastic trekkers on the occasion of Mansar Great Trek Festival. The event was marked by organizing a trekking event on four different nature trails culminating at Mansar lake.
The trekkers were flagged off from Surinsar, Mahoregarh, Manwal and Baarigarh respectively. All the treks were manned by forest officials from Department of Wildlife, Directorate of Social Forestry and Territorial Forest Divisions under Eco Tourism Initiative. The trekking routes were opened for trekking after carrying out recce of the nature trails by Forest Department and its allied agencies. The aim of Eco tourism initiative was to promote adventure activities in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner. The Wildlife Department has already introduced battery operated vehicles at Mansar to reduce carbon footprints.
Director Tourism, OP Bhagat and Director, State Forest Research Institute OP Sharma Vidyarthi along with S Bhattacharjee, Chairman, Indian Mountaineering Foundation, North Zone and Satpal DFO Jammu flagged off the trekking expedition from Surinsar lake destination. Deputy Commissioner Udhampur Ravinder Kumar flagged off trekking expedition from Manwal and Baarigarh respectively in the presence of Kaiser Malik, Tehsildar Majalta, Suraj Chander Jasrotia, ETO Udhampur Reasi Excise Range and Sahil Bhagotra ETO.
Dr Kaushal Sharma SSP Samba flagged off the trekkers from Mahoregarh to Mansar in the presence of Rajan Sharma, XEN SMDA, Preeti sharma, ETO Samba Excise Range and Umesh Shan AD Tourism. |
