CM inaugrates open skiing championship

Shimla, Feb 9 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today inaugurated open skiing championship as a part of Winter Carnival, at Solang Nallah near Manali town today.

Speaking in inaugural ceremony Chief minister said Solang Valley had the worlds best ski-slopes, which had trained large number of youths in various snow sports, and sports would get further strengthened with completion of ropeway connecting higher reaches of slopes.

Chief Minister said that State Government would be making all out efforts and coordinate with Union Government to get Rohtang Tunnel completed at earliest possible.

''Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had envisaged the project and granted sanction for construction of the same to land locked Lahaul valley with road around the year, and moreover tourism would get a boost with connectivity of Lahaul besides reducing the road distance by about 70 km Between Manali and Keylong,'' he added.

Mr Dhumal said that Solang village would also be connected with motorable road and bridge constructed over Solang Nallah.

''State Government would explore possibility of including ski sports in the 3 per cent sports quota reserved for sports persons in all government jobs, and outstanding sports persons were being provided various other benefits besides 3 per cent reservation in Government jobs,'' he said.

UNI XC AS JN RKM HT1914