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| Sinthan Top: Once militancy hub now favourite tourist destination in Jammu, but Tourism Deptt uninterested | | |  Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Kishtwar, July 7: Contrary to the hot weather conditions across the country as a result of which hundreds of people were dying in many states in last few weeks due to ongoing heat wave and hot weather conditions, Tourist resort Sinthan Top in Kishtwar District not only offered a pleasant weather to the visiting tourism, but the tourism resort is still under the cover of snowfall adding to the party of visiting tourist who get themselves enthralled while playing with snow, but the official apathy and injustice with the tourist destinations of Jammu Division playing a spoil spot in flourishing of not only this tourism destination, but also many other tourist destinations in Jammu Division.
Situated at an altitude of 12500 feet above the sea level, Sinthan top located on Kishtwar-Anantnag-Srinagar National Highway was once a militancy hub since the onset of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir in early 90s, has now become a prime tourist destination in Kishtwar District after normalcy returns back in Kishtwar District, despite the fact that there is no infrastructure or any other modern day government facility available at this spot, but even then thousands of locals and outsiders are visiting this tourist destination along with their families to get a break from their busy life and to beat the prevailing hot weather conditions.
Surrounded by small mountains with green pasture, Sinthan top mostly remained covered with snow for more than six months in a year and in summer when the scorching heat wave engulfed the plain areas of the country, the Sinthan top offers a pleasant weather not only to the local people visiting the place for picnic but to many tourist who visited this place, mostly from Kashmir side as the road leading from Srinagar to Sinthan top offers a smooth drive to tourist up to the top due to availability of good blacktopped road while at the same time the road leading up to Sinthan top from Kishtwar is in dilapidated condition, full of humpty and dumpty drive.
While talking to "Early Times" the visiting tourist while praising the beauty of Sinthan top said that the place is beautiful like a heaven on earth, but added that it lacks behind in terms of infrastructure available.
" Some infrastructure issues are there, roads should be more proper-there should be some government official presence to handle the things properly-beside there is no fuel station on either side of 50 KM road stretch" said an Engineering student Jawad Zarger added that the place could be developed as a major tourist destination having a potential to outclass world famous tourist resort Gulmarg of Kashmir. Another non local tourist said that he finds Sinthan top and its adjoining areas as more beautiful than Gulmarga and further said that there is a need to explore places like Sinthan top in future as major tourist destination.
A teenage girl who arrived at Sinthan top all the way from Delhi also showers all praise for the beauty of Sinthan top. She said it is strange that the weather is too hot to handle in place like Delhi and other states of India while at Sinthan Top there is still presence of snow at the top.
"It is wonderful, I really enjoyed a lot" said another tourist added that they feel disappointed while approaching towards top from Kishtwar side as the road is in very poor condition, but further added that after reaching at Sinthan top their anger vanished and the money they spent on traveling pays worth.
Many visiting tourist contemplating the plan to revisit the Sinthan top in future in case government could develop good road and infrastructure like hotels, restaurants, toilets, parks and other important assets required at any tourist destination.
A local shopkeeper who installed an ordinary tent at the top for selling tea and other eatables also rues the government for their failure in building prefabricated huts and other infrastructure at Sinthan top.
"It is very difficult to survive under present circumstances at Sinthan top--- most of the time the wind blows very fast and uprooted the tents installed by them for business purpose-the night temperature is also very cold " said the shopkeeper. He said that government is non-serious towards developing Sinthan top as major tourist destination that can attract thousands of tourists from all over India.
"Tourist word is mostly remained with Kashmir division in Jammu and Kashmir and people as well as political class of Kashmir never allowed tourism to come out of valley" rued locals who allege that successive government in Jammu and Kashmir never allowed tourism to grow in Jammu province, added that there are many places other than Sithan top like Sinthan Maidan, Fambar, Pahalgwari, Mughal Maidan, Burnail, Warwan, Sukhnai, Bimalnag and many other places in Kishtwar District that could develop as major tourist destination, but government turns blind eye as and when funds to carry out tourism activities in the area were demanded. Many people said that adjoining Doda District including Bhaderwah also offered many beautiful tourist destination, added that valley centric political parties are creating major hurdle in sanctioning of funds for development of tourism in Jammu region including Kishtwar District.
Another youth said that roads are key for promotion of tourism, added that bad roads are playing spoilsport in promotion of tourism in Jammu Division and said that there is immediate need of government attention towards developing of poor and dilapidated roads in the area along with building tourism infrastructure to tap the vast tourism potential of twin Districts of Kishtwar and Doda. |
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