Winter Games begin in Gulmarg; Omar prepares for artificial snow | India News

SRINAGAR: J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday inaugurated the 6th India Khlo Winter Games in Gulmarg.“The Khelo India Winter Games revives the sportsmanship ideals of peace, equality and fraternity. The Gulmarg Winter Games are a universal language and a common heritage in our vibrant and diverse country of many languages, cultures and traditions,” Sinha said.The four-day event in Gulmarg will be attended by around 1,000 athletes and officials from various states and federal universities.Prime Minister Omar Abdullah while addressing the inauguration ceremony reiterated the desire to develop Gulmarg into an international ski resort.“We witnessed a severe freeze here a few weeks ago. We had no idea when the race started it would be so warm and the skiing would be challenging. We may have to make some adjustments,” Omar said.“We have been watching the Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy over the past few days. I congratulate the Indian skier, our very own Arif Khan, who proudly waved the flag and represented the country. I hope that at this edition of the Indian Winter Olympics in Cairo, a new Arif Khan will emerge,” he said.Kashmir is experiencing its hottest February, with the maximum temperature reaching 21 degrees Celsius on February 21. The CM said that the challenges posed by climate change are obvious. “The fact is that we cannot just rely on nature. We decide the date of the competition at the beginning of the year without knowing when the snow will fall or how much it will be. I request the organizers not to decide the date in advance. Let us decide to hold the competition 10 to 15 days after sufficient snowfall,” he said.Omar also called for investment in artificial snowmaking systems. “It is high time that we move to artificial snowmaking. I understand the concerns about water and electricity usage, but if we don’t build these infrastructures, one day we may not even be able to ski in Gulmarg, which will be truly unfortunate,” he said.“Those associated with tourism such as sled operators, ski guides, ski instructors, ATV drivers etc. all depend on snow for their livelihood. It is our responsibility to provide the means and infrastructure to promote tourism and ensure its survival,” the CM said.