Gulmarg, Feb 23: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday cautioned that natural snowfall in Gulmarg can no longer be relied upon for hosting major winter sporting events. He called for the urgent creation of artificial snow infrastructure to safeguard the future of winter sports and tourism in the region.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 6th Khelo India Winter Games at Gulmarg, the Chief Minister said changing weather patterns have made snowfall increasingly unpredictable, posing serious challenges for planners and athletes alike.
“We decide the dates of the Games at the beginning of the year without knowing when snowfall will occur or how much snow will be there,” he said, noting that although the region witnessed intense cold and snowfall a few weeks ago, warmer conditions at the start of the Games had made skiing difficult.
Stating that dependence solely on nature is no longer sustainable, Omar remarked, “The truth is we cannot rely only on natural snowfall. The time has come for us to move towards artificial snow generation.”
The Chief Minister also acknowledged concerns regarding water and electricity consumption in artificial snow systems but stressed that failing to build such infrastructure could jeopardize Gulmarg’s status as a premier winter destination. “If we do not create this infrastructure, a day may come when we will not even be able to ski in Gulmarg. That would be truly unfortunate,” he said.
He suggested that in the interim, the scheduling of future editions of the Khelo India Winter Games could be aligned more closely with actual snowfall, proposing that the event be held 10 to 15 days after sufficient snow accumulation.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment, Omar Abdullah said sustained efforts are underway to develop Gulmarg as an international ski destination with world-class infrastructure.
He further underlined that strengthening winter sports facilities would not only boost India’s competitiveness in global events but also secure the livelihoods of thousands associated with tourism.
“Hoteliers, sledge operators, ski guides, ski instructors, ATV drivers and transporters depend on this snow for their livelihood. It is our responsibility to ensure that both sports and tourism thrive,” he said.
Congratulating skier Arif Khan for representing the country at international events, the Chief Minister expressed hope that the ongoing Games would produce more athletes capable of competing at the global level.
Encouraging participants from across the country, the CM added, “Winning is not as important as participating. You have come here to compete, and we thank you for that.”
- Notably, the 6th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games was formally inaugurated earlier in the day by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in the presence of senior civil and police officials, sports administrators and athletes from across India—(KNO)
