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| Jammu's scenic beauty second to none: Why only pilgrim and heritage tourism? | | |
RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Apr 16: Jammu province, like Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal, has few rivals as far as its scenic beauty is concerned. It is rich in green-gold, charming vales, dales and meadows and fascinating waterfalls, streams and springs.
It is a paradox that Jammu has failed to find any place on the tourist map of India even after 63 years of the state's merger into India. The reason has been that the authorities, including the Jammu-based supporters of Kashmiri leaders, have never taken any step whatever to promote tourism in Jammu province. It is not a lapse on their part. It is all deliberate, willful and calculated. The objective is to ignore the tourism potential in Jammu so that Kashmir continues to remain on the tourist map of the world.
On the contrary, the authorities in the state and the concerned ministries in New Delhi have all through focused their attention on Kashmir and pumped into the Valley billions and billions of rupees to promote tourism industry in Kashmir so that it generates additional employment opportunities there and enrich the Kashmir's economy. For the authorities whosoever they are and wherever they are it is Kashmir and its Gul Marg, Pahalgam, Sona Marg, Tang Marg, Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Wular Lake, the river Jhelum and so on that matter. The authorities have been pumping into Kashmir billions and billions of rupees for promoting tourism industry despite the fact that the number of tourists who visit Kashmir every year is less than 5 lakh, as against more than 80 lakh tourists who visit Jammu every year.
The indifferent attitude of the authorities towards Jammu has produced adverse effects. Mubarak Mandi, the seat of power of the Dogra maharajas, is in a dilapidated condition. Yes, efforts are now on to protect what is still intact, but it is difficult to say that the authorities would ever be able to restore its pristine glory. River Tawi is dying, and dying very fast, because of the official indifferent attitude. The land mafia's dubious activities are also contributing to the death of this ancient and historic river. Mansar Lake, Surinsar Lakh and Sanasar Lakes, besides others, are also shrinking at a very rapid pace because the authorities have no interest in preserving, conserving and beautifying them. Patni Top perhaps the only spot in Jammu province which looks like a tourist spot. It can be said that the development of Patni Top is more due to the private effort and not because of the official policy.
Jammu region was also known for its impregnable forts, but because of the indifferent attitude of the authorities to Jammu's otherwise very rich heritage most of the forts have disappeared. Compare the official attitude to the forts in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and elsewhere in the country with the official attitude to the forts and similar other historical buildings you will find the difference. Had these forts been located in Kashmir, the story would have been altogether different.
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