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| Patnitop hoteliers, PDA allege discrimination with tourist spots in Jammu | | To lodge protest, block NH 1-A on June 27 | | Kunal Shrivatsa
EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, June 25: To protest the 'inordinate' delay in conceding their long pending demands, the Patnitop Development Association (PDA) in collaboration with Hoteliers and Restaurant Association (HRA), Patnitop have decided to block busiest Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Patnitop on June 27. Lamenting the state government for discriminating with Jammu in developing and upgrading the tourism sector in the region, president PDA and HRA, Patnitop, Kushal Magotra said that despite repeated requests the authorities have failed to pay heed to the expansion of spots especially the famous tourist resort of Patnitop, situated about 110 kms from here on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH1-A).
"We have left with no other option but to stage a protest in order to highlight the issues concerning to the tourism industry of Jammu region particularly Patnitop and adjoining tourist resorts," Kushal Magotra said.
Magotra further said the newly constituted Patnitop Development Association (PDA) supported by Hoteliers of the area, would stage protest demonstration on June 27 by blocking the national highway.
"It is an open secret that Jammu has always been subjected to discrimination and ignored by the state government as far as development of the tourist spots of the region is concerned," Magotra, told Early Times here today.
Expressing his resentment for overlooking Jammu, HRA president said that there are several instances where the state government has failed to provide equal share of development for tourism sector in three major regions of the state viz Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh
"The government had announced to introduce Gandola project (rope way) for Patnitop on the pattern of Gulmarg Gandola but surprisingly there is no headway and the process is still lingering on," laments Magotra
"A private agency was even ready to take up the construction but due to delay by the government, the project could not seen the light yet and was finally dumped,'' he added.
Kushal further said Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP), construction of Karnah-Gorikund Road, Shopping Complex, setting up of a full-fledged Fire and Emergency Services office and construction of parking lots were among some of the pending demands of the Patnitop businessmen.
"We put forth all the demands before the authorities concerned from time to time but nothing has been done so far… We got only hollow assurances," Kushal Magotra maintained
"Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also took notice of the Patnitop hoteliers' demands but after he left the state , the matters were not seriously initiated by the present dispensation,'' he added.
He also alleged that out of the total funds released by the Central Government for the promotion of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, a hefty amount ( more than 90 percent) is being earmarked for Kashmir thus neglecting Jammu.
"The glaring example of discrimination could be gauged from the fact that tourism promotion campaigns either through calendars, pamphlets, print or visual advertisements, seminars or national level conferences, only Kashmir is being highlighted despite Jammu having rich tourism potential," Magotra alleged
"It indicates that the state government is least bothered to promote tourism in Jammu region perhaps some vested interests do not want to see the industry prosper and grow here as well,'' he added. |
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