Pong Dam in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh will be developed as a major hub of adventure activities, said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday.

Famous as an abode for migratory birds, particularly the Siberian cranes and other hundreds of other species from Russia and trans-Antarctic regions, the Pong Dam reservoir, is a man-made reservoir on the Beas River in the wetland of Shivalik hills of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.

The Pong Dam is a famous wildlife sanctuary and one of the 25 International wetland sites as declared by Ramsar Convention on wetlands. The Pong Dam Lake was  declared as a ‘Wetland of National Importance (Ramsar Site) in November 2002.

“The state government is exploring possibilities to create adequate infrastructure around the lake and start water sports and other allied activities so that it can attract visitors throughout the year,” he said.

The government intends to develop this lake by creating added infrastructure and even starting Shikharas in the backwaters of the lake, he added.

The state government will support the youth by providing financial assistance to buy Shikaras, aiming to create employment opportunities in the area, he said, adding that the present state government has allocated Rs. 70 crore for the purpose.

The plan includes the introduction of hot air ballooning activities and the construction of a floating hotel, said the Chief Minister.

“The state government is contemplating opening a floating hotel in Pong Dam to facilitate the tourists visiting the area. In addition to this, hot air ballooning activities will also be started in the Dam area to provide an added attraction to adventure lovers,” he said.

Stretched up to an area of 24,529 hectares with few habitated islands, Pong Reservoir caters to the needs of fishermen in a big way and is the most important source of economy to hundreds of families engaged in the business.

Despite nature’s beauty in bounty, the tourism potential of the lake is yet to be tapped to its full capacity, said the Chief Minister.

The government is keen to develop it as an internationally recognized wetland and a much-visited area for bird watching as it receives more than one lakh migratory birds every year, which is a major attraction to tourists besides ornithologists.

“In order to encourage the local youth to be partners in the development of the areas, stress will be laid on motivating them to involve them in tourism-related activities,” said Sukhu.