Jammu, February 06 (Scoop News) – All Jammu Hotels & Lodges Association (AJHLA)has assailed gross discrimination against and step motherly treatment towards Jammu region on the tourism sector. While over one crore tourists visit Jammu annually, generating revenue of two thousand crores, only 12 lakh visit Kashmir every year, generating revenue of not more than 500 crores, the central and state governments are allocating hundred times more funds for tourism development in Kashmir than in Jammu, the association has rued.
A meeting of the Jammu hoteliers association held here today under the chairmanship of its president, Inderjeet Khajuria has said that while Rs.1000 crore were sanctioned by the centre for cleansing and development of Dul and Wuler lakes in Kashmir, another 356 crore is sanctioned now for rehabilitation of Dul dwellers uprooted after their removal from the Dul banks and from the encroached land on the Dal.lake.
Against this the lakes and other water bodies in Jammu are being totally ignored. So much so that the twin lakes of Mansar and Sruinsar have not got even all weather roads and hence are under total neglect.
No amount has been sanctioned for wide all weather road from Chichi Matta to Mansar. The link road between Mansar and Sruinsar is in shambles, denying approach to the tourists to the rich flora and fauna in the area. The Sanasar Lake has since long dried up and no steps have taken to revive the same. Similarly five small lakes in Rajouri
district are in total neglect.
The Central government has sanctioned only a paltry sum of Rs.6 Crore for development of border tourism at Souchetgarh and adjoining border spots like Chamlayal, which have vast potential to attract tourists.
Similarly the Gharana wet land at R.S.Pora, along international border, where millions of migratory birds visit from Siberia and other countries, has a vast tourism potential. But the government is paying no attention to exploit this potential. No amount has been allotted to compensate the farmers in the vicinity of wet land, against the damage
caused to their crops by the migratory birds.
AJHLA has blamed the state government for not submitting the tourism related projects in Jammu region to the Central government for funding. If a tall any project is sent to the centre the same is not pursued earnestly for allocation of adequate funds for the same.
Even those tourism related projects in Jammu, for which funds have been sanctioned by the centre like lake in River Tawi and Mubarak Mandi heritage complex, are being executed at a very slow speed.
AJHLA has also criticized the political leaders from Jammu, particularly those in the ruling coalition, for not taking up forcefully the case for promoting Jammu tourism.
The others who attending the meeting included Ajay Gupta Sr. Vice President, B.S.Manhas Vice President, Pawan Gupta General Secretary, Baldev Treasurer, Sunil Suri and Vikramjeet Singh Secretaries.