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| Tourism development is not Omar's priority | | |
States having tourist resorts and detinations sell them to the excursionists like a good salesmen.There are some states where the Governments keep on selling monuments,ruins,partially damaged forts and palaces for attracting visitors to their states.There are states which sell the saga behind temples,shrines,tombs and monestries to the visitors.There is a section of tourists,especially those coming from foreign lands,who are mor e keen to visit ancient temples,monestries,palaces and forts than gardens and lakes.It is the result of fascination for these monestries that during the last 20 years of militancy,which hit tourist traffic to Kashmir,that there was no adverse impact on it in Ladakh because foreigners evinced more interest in visiting the land of lamas than the land of picturesque lakes of Kashmir.Rajasthan,which is known for famous palaces and forts attracts tourists round the year but against it the panoramic Kashmir valley has been attracting tourists for three to four months a year.The successive state Governments have not been able to rise as a good salesmen.The present National Conference led coalition Government is no exception.It has not yet taken in hand steps that could create added attractions at various tourist resorts.Except for minor alterations the Mughal gardens in Srinagar,speak of the old glory.The lakes are polluted.Their size has shrunk.These natural lakes have been almost ravaged by the encroachers with the r esult the artificial Sukhna lake in Chandigarh is better managed than the Dal or the Nigin or the Mansbal or the Wuller lake.Year after year tourists come and they see the same sports that their forefathers had seen 60 years ago.During the last several years the state Government had been making commitment on developing new areas as tourist destinations.The Omar led Government too has promised to develop tourism infrastructure in the Lolab and the Gurez valleys.Over Rs. six crores have been earmarked for the development of the two valleys.But so far nothing has changed in the two farflung areas.The Government's promise to develop the Bungus valley,Basholi-Billawar tourist circuit is yet to be fulfilled.The Niagara falls attracts tourists round the world but the scenic Ahrabal waterfall in south Kashmir is yet to be known to tourists.Even if it is introduced to the visitors the area has no infrastructure in the shape of good roads,hotels or guest houses where tourists can stay.Omar Abdullah is yet to apply his mind to tourism sector and whenever he has time to think about it he should see to it that new destinations were sold to the excursionists.That could be done after the new resorts had all the basic infrastructure.Possibly Omar led Government believes that so long the state has the two lakes and the resorts like Pahalgam and Gulmarg tourists will have to come.Tourism is considered backbome of the economy of Jammu and Kashmir but it is the most neglected sector.(eom)
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