The programme of the national skiing championship slated to be held at Auli later this month has been altered and now sources state that instead of a national championship a winter carnival will be organised here. The national skiing championship was slated to be held at Auli from February 24 this year but now this programme has been changed into a carnival. Officials of the Tourism Department are not stating the reason for this change in programme. The Uttarkashi-based Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) in collaboration with the State Government was to organise the national skiing championship at Auli but the institute later dropped the plan.
Following this, the Tourism Department began a round of meetings and started ground level preparations for holding this event with most of the arrangements being made. According to reliable sources, a committee had also been formed by the State administration to ensure that the event is held without any problems.
However, now the plan for hosting the national skiing championship has been changed and now a carnival will be held instead. When asked about the reason for the change in plan, the Tourism Joint Director AK Dwivedi said that due to inadequate time for ensuring proper preparations for the national championship, the Government will now hold a winter carnival instead at Auli later this month. locals point out that though Auli is recognised as an international winter sports destination, the Government has so far failed to capitalise on this.