Uttarakhand High Court bans water sports, paragliding in the state

Dehradun : In a major blow to adventure sports in the state, Uttarakhand High Court has banned all kind of water sports activities including river rafting and paragliding.

The order came after the court found that such activities were being carried out in absence of any policy. The state government has been given a time of two weeks to draft a policy.

The court took note of the deaths caused due to capsizing of boats and remarked that such activities should only be allowed under the supervision of highly trained professionals. 

"Sports and pleasure cannot be permitted to end in disaster," the court observed while asking the state government to invite bids for conducting sporting activities in a transparent manner. 

“We are shocked to know that the state government is permitting camping sites on river beds. It pollutes the environment and ecology of the river and the surrounding areas,” the court said.