The ongoing exam season has postponed the 10-day adventure festival, which was to be held simultaneously at Maithon Dam (Dhanbad), Massanjore Dam (Dumka) and Dimna Lake (Jamshedpur) from mid-February, by a month.
The adventure festival will happen, but from mid-March, said Jharkhand State Tourism Development Corporation Limited deputy general manager Alok Prasad.
“We postponed the adventure fest due to the ongoing matric and Intermediate exams. Now it will be held after Holi (March 10) at the three destinations,” said Prasad.
This is the second time the adventure festival was postponed. Earlier scheduled from January-end till mid-February, it was postponed due to the communal flare-up in Lohardaga on January 23 after stones were pelted at a pro-CAA procession.
“We did not want to take chances after the Lohardaga incident,” said a senior JTDC official preferring anonymity. “We shifted the dates to mid-February. But on consulting the deputy commissioners of the three host districts, we decided against holding the fest at a time when students who are the main target group of this event, can’t attend due to board exams.”
The adventure festival, when it does take place, will offer water sports at Maithon Dam across Damodar river, Massanjore Dam across and the Mayurakshi river and Dimna Lake near Jamshedpur. The fest will offer a 50 per cent concession for rural students.
“Water sports will include banana ride, paddle boating, dragon boating, kayaking, cliff diving,” said the official.
“This apart, there’ll be kite-flying, rock climbing, stargazing and abseiling, among others.” Two Giridih-based private adventure sports agencies have bagged the rights to host the activities, safety being priority, added the JTDC official.