Jorhat, Oct. 28: Political unrest in Arunachal Pradesh has raised questions about the success of the third edition of the Mechuka festival, the biggest adventure sport event of the region, this year. The resignation of the tourism minister yesterday has made matters even worse.

The organisers of the three-day festival, scheduled from November 7, are, however, upbeat and keeping their fingers crossed that this year's festival too would be a success like the previous ones.

"We are leaving no stone unturned to make the festival a success this year but things are not moving smoothly as should have been because of the political developments in the state," an organiser of the festival told The Telegraph on condition of anonymity.

The resignation of tourism minister Pema Khandu yesterday has made matter critical as the Mechuka festival was one of his pet projects, which was launched two years back with the aim to showcase Arunachal Pradesh as an adventure-tourism hotspot.

The picturesque Mechuka valley is about 30km from the McMahon Line that separates India from China in the West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Sources said although the state government has given the go ahead with the festival this year, the funds have not been released as of now. "The files are cleared by the tourism department but are yet to be cleared by the planning and finance departments. Without funds it would be difficult to carry on," the organiser said.

The organiser said Mechuka MLA Pasang Dorjee Sona, who was closely involved with the festival in the last two years, has not been able to give time this year because of the political developments. Pasang, sources said, is with the dissident camp and has been camping in New Delhi for the last several days.

Aruncahal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki has been facing internal rebellion with a section of legislators apparently disgruntled with the financial mismanagement of the state.

The organiser said apart from various adventure sporting activities like rafting, parasailing, kayaking, rafting, rappeling and shooting, in the last two years of the festival, a squad bike event would be introduced this year. "We are also training local youths of Mechuka in parasailing so that they can take care of it on their own in the future without outside help," he said.

Apart from the sporting events, an apparel show by a renowned designer of Arunachal Pradesh has also been planned where local models from Mechuka would participate. "We are training a few models in this regard," he said.

He said the best thing that has happened in Mechuka after the success of the festival in the past two years is the fact that homestay facilities have increased manifold. "There were only five homestays in Mechuka when the festivals were held for the first time two years back. Now Mechuka has over 20 homestay facilities apart from the tourists' guesthouse," he said.

Mechuka, also known as Menchuka, is located 6,000 feet above sea level and is one of the most picturesque destinations in Arunachal Pradesh. It is home to the Buddhist Memba tribe and the 400-year-old Samten Yongcha monastery of Mahayana Buddhist sect is a contemporary of the much-revered Tawang monastery.

The Siom river, which flows through Mechuka, also provides a breathtaking view.