Jamshedpur, Oct 9: Jharkhand has abundance of mountains, trees, rivers and tribal culture which can help promote sport climbing which in turn can boost adventure tourism in the state.
Sport Climbing is growing at a rapid pace in the country and it would be included as an introductory game in 2020 Olympics, said Mrinal Chatterjee, Secretary of India Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), East Zone Committee.
Talking to the media persons on the sidelines of the 21st IMF East Zone Sport Climbing Championship at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Chatterjee said, Jharkhand has a lot of potential as there have been several mountaineers from the state.
It�s high time the state government should focus on the game and help provide infrastructure to the budding talent of the state. �4-5 months back we had a meeting with Sajal Chakraborty, former Chief Secretary of the state and Sports & Youth Affairs Dept. regarding promotion of sport climbing but we didn�t received positive response.
The absence of Sports Policy is one of the hindrances in backing the sport in the state�, said Mrinal Chatterjee adding that Jamshedpur is the only city of Jharkhand were we have a sport climbing wall.
He further informed that Odisha government is helping the sport and has started construction of International standard wall worth Rs 3.76 crore in Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
The city will host Zonal and National Championship in the year 2016. The progress of Sport in Odisha will help us boost our talks with the Jharkhand government next month, Chatterjee added.
Prosenjit Samanta, Treasurer, IMF East Zone Committee said Wall in Bhubaneswar would be completed by June 2016 and all the materials for the construction of the wall have been imported.
Total of 8 sports climbing wall are there in Bengal while only 1 is in Jharkhand, he added.
