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| Patnitop not Gulmarg or Pahalgam | | | Neha
Jammu, June 29: Patnitop Development Association (PDA), hoteliers and restaurant owners observed a complete shutdown in Patnitop and blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for sometime on Monday to register protest against discrimination with Patnitop, Jammu province's famous tourist spot. They took this step hoping that the state government would concede their long-pending demands ranging from the implementation of the sanctioned Gandola project to construction of 8-kilomater-long Karnah-Gorikund road that would reduce the distance between Patnitop and other tourist spots like Mantalai and Sudhmahadev to the construction of sewerage treatment plant to the construction of shopping complex to the allotment of area for parking to the setting up of a full-fledged fire and emergency services office to the preservation and development of Sanasar that is decaying with each passing day.
The charge of the protesting hoteliers, restaurant owners and members of the PDA was that the authorities in the state are spending in the Kashmir Valley "more than 90 per cent" of the total funds released by the Union Government for the promotion of tourism in the state and the tourist spots in the Jammu province, including Patnitop, are "completely ignored." "This main picturesque spot of Jammu (Patnitop) has always been discriminated against and ignored and all the projects sanctioned for this area are hanging in balance since long," was the upshot of their whole argument, which was coupled with a warning that they would intensify their agitation in the event of the state government not conceding their demands forthwith.
Theirs' was a futile exercise and wastage of time and energy. Their hope that the shutdown and protest would move the authorities or induce them to undertake measures to develop Patnitop, Sanasar, Mantalai, Sudhmahadev, Kud and other tourist spots located in the Jammu province clearly demonstrated that they are living in a fool's paradise. The authorities are not going to listen to them and concede their demands, even though the demands are genuine. For, Patnitop, like other tourist spots in the Jammu province, is neither Kashmir's Gulmarg nor its Pahalgam. These spots are located in the Jammu province, which is leaderless or which has leaders who keep their mouths and eyes shut for reasons not difficult to fathom. The authorities in the state would never treat Jammu province at par with Kashmir. Nor would New Delhi take cognizance of the demands being put forth by the people of Jammu province. This is a fact and it must be recognized.
What, then, is the way out? There are two alternatives available. One is that the PDA, hoteliers and restaurant owners in Patnitop should demand merger of the mountainous areas of Jammu province with Kashmir. In other words, merger of these areas with Kashmir would ensure development of Patnitop and similar other tourist spots in the region. The other is that the people of Jammu province must demand segregation of Jammu province from the Kashmir Valley. The second option is the best option. In other words, in separation lies their salvation. |
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