Srinagar, Mar 16 (KNS): Secretary Tourism Rigzin Samphel Saturday held a detailed review meeting with snow safety officer Brian Newman here at Directorate of Tourism office for the advance preparations of the next season’s management of ski resort Gulmarg.
Thousands of skiers visit ski resort Gulmarg during winter months that are prone to avalanches.
The department has hired the services of the foreign expert Brian Newman who has an international experience of 35 seasons working on minimizing avalanche risks.
The department has utilized his expertise since 2007 to oversee snow safety measures, organise ski patrol and search and rescue operations within the Gulmarg ski region with the help of local police and military.
Newman also provides daily avalanche advisories and hosts weekly avalanche awareness talk to apprise the skiers about the avalanche risk and measures to be taken for their safe skiing.   
The ski patrol team conducted numerous rescue operations on higher reaches making this season the incident-free.
Secretary Tourism said they have hired expert services to author guidelines and standard operating procedures for continued safe operation of Gulmarg ski resort during winter months.
“Highly professional skiers from across the globe visit Gulmarg who need to be given regular advisories on snow avalanches. In order to make skiing safe for them, the avalanche-prone areas are mitigated for the safety of the skiers. It is our responsibility that every skier enjoys safe skiing with the backing of a readily available rescue team,” he said.
The department will also be procuring equipment and making other necessary arrangements in advance ahead next winter season.
The meeting was attended by Director Tourism Kashmir Nisar Ahmad Wani, Deputy Director Enforcement Amarjit Singh, Deputy Director Registration Syed Shabir, Deputy Director Publicity Reyaz Ahmad Shah, Deputy Director Recreation Mohammad Sarfaraz, CEO Gulmarg Syed Hanif Balki, Assistant Director Gulmarg Nasir Mahmood besides other senior officers of the department. (KNS)