The Jumma-Dronagiri trek has been declared the trek of the year for 2017 by the Uttarakhand State Government, and will commence on May 21. The 15 kilometer stretch from Jumma to Dronagiri has been declared trek of the year. The Garhwal Commissioner has been nominated nodal officer with the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam being made the nodal agency for this treck. Additional Commissioner of Garhwal, Harak Singh Rawat has instructed all department officers concerned to start the work with in a week for all necessary facilities on the trekking route in order to finish the arrangements on time before start of the trekking period. He issued these instructions while chairing a meeting held in the district office at Gopeshwar, district headquarter of Chamoli on Monday.
Rawat said that all the required facilities will be developed along the trek route and in order to promote the local products,the youths will be linked with employment. Rawat said that the migration could be minimised by developing tourism activities. He emphasised that there should be wide publicity of the Drongiri trek so that the tourists can enjoy the natural beauty.Rawat said that there are many tourist spots and trekking sites, but due to the lack of publicity, the tourists don’t visit these places. Rawat instructed department officials concerned to start their work on a war footing and directed officials of the Tourism department and the lead bank to provide loans to willing persons under homestay and Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali tourism self employment scheme. He directed officials of the Public Works Department to set up benches, canopies and sheds along the trekking route and to make a helipad at Drongiri. He stressed that priority should be accorded to the treatment of sliding zone on the trek route. The irrigation department officials were direct to facilitate sanitation facilities at the identified places and to repair the damaged irrigation pipe line in Jumma and Ruinga. The Peyjal Nigam was directed to arrange for the drinking water supply while the district Panchayat has been told to clean the trek route. In addition to this Rawat instructed Bharat Sanchar Nigam limited officials to ensure clear connectivity in the area.
The health department has been asked to facilitate oxygen cylinders for places with thin air. Chamoli district magistrate Vinod Kumar Suman and other officials concerned were also present in the meeting.