| Oops! J&K Tourism Deptt promotes Kashmir, forgets Jammu | | Jammu Inc seeks LG Sinha’s intervention | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 13: As a part of the nationwide unlock of Covid-19 and in a bid to revive tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, the government has started luring tourists but only to Kashmir obviously drawing flak from Jammu.
The government of Jammu and Kashmir recently held a tourism promotion activity in Kolkata to apprise the Tour and Travel fraternity there about the “opening up Tourism sector in J&K and the facilities in place for incoming tourists.”
Official documents reveal that only revival of Tourism in Kashmir was discussed with the tourism players.
“The Travel, Trade and Tour operators of Bengal were informed that J&K Tourism is promoting responsible tourism and outdoor adventure activities, as a means to gradually move towards full revival of tourism. The delegations were informed that Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir recently celebrated the World Tourism Day-2020 across all destinations by holding a Shikara Race in the World Famous Dal Lake, Cycle Bike rally from Srinagar to the beautiful Doodhpathri, and also undertook sanitation drives and organised COVID related awareness programme. Recently, a Nature Walk and Cycling and Trekking event was also organised in the famed Dachigam National Park on the eve of National Wildlife Week,” reads the official document showing no mention about anything about such activities Jammu.
“Regarding upcoming tourism promotion events, the Travel, Trade and Tour Operators were informed that the Kashmir Tourism has drawn up a calendar of activities for celebrating autumn season and next week a golfing event is slated at Pahalgam besides a Saffron festival has been planned at Pampore by the end of this month. Events and activities have also been slated for the Winter especially at Pahalgam and the Ski destination of Gulmarg,” the official documents reveal.
Some senior officials said it was highly objectionable that Jammu was even not mentioned in the official handouts about the promotion of tourism.
“Over the years, tourism in Jammu remained affected only because of the anti-national activities in Kashmir. Unfortunately, the government continues to harbor same vision of pampering Kashmir but at the cost of Jammu. This is injustice,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity.
He said the Raj Bhawan should hold an inquiry as to why Jammu continues to allegedly face discrimination.
Meanwhile the tourism players of Jammu region, who are aware of the alleged discrimination in promotion of tourism in Kashmir alone, have appealed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to personally look into the matter and get Jammu equally promoted for tourism. |
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