Srinagar, May 23 – J & K Governor, N. N. Vohra, observed here today that Amarnathji Shrine Board will enable the tourist and travel industry of the State to expand and flourish during the ensuing Amarnathji Yatra.
Interacting with representatives of Tourist and Travel Associations of both the Divisions of the State in Srinagar on Saturday evening, the Governor reiterated the Shrine Board’s commitment to promote a larger role for the local stakeholders of the State in the Yatra.
Appreciating the traditional hospitality being provided to the incoming tourists and pilgrims, the Governor emphasized that efforts should be made to link up Yatras to the Holy Shrines of Shri Mata Vaishno Deviji and Shri Amarnathji with other centres of tourism in the state. He further expressed the hope that the travel industry would rise to the occasion by extending services harmonious with the requirements of the Yatra and working for building the linkages of the Yatra with other tourist spots. He added that the pilgrim tourism could emerge as a big contributory factor in sustaining and enhancing the traditional tourism sector. He exhorted the industry to design, what he called budget tourism packages, for ensuring maximum satisfaction to tourists of all income groups.
On preservation of ecology and environment in the Yatra area, the Governor said that the technology to achieve this vital objective has been upgraded and will continue to be updated. He referred to the Environment Pilot Projects being executed in Base Camps of Baltal and Nunwan for treating and managing all kinds of wastes. He elaborated by saying that the Shrine Board will be taking a number of measures in this regard like placing of waste bins at short distances in the Camps for the collection of garbage.
Mr. Vohra said that a proper Monitoring Protocol for monitoring the liquid wastes would be worked out and put into force before the commencement of the Yatra. He said that environment and ecology would be maintained and preserved by taking all possible measures, particularly by timely collection and treatment of all kinds of wastes. He said that shedders would be used for disposal of plastic bottles and other plastic materials and segregation of waste materials for appropriate treatment.
Responding to the plea of the tourist and travel trade industry that the Board should earmark a certain number of Yatra Parchis and helicopter seats for the Travel and Trade Associations in both the Divisions for facilitating the visits of Groups from all around the country, the Governor assured that modalities would be worked out by the Board, in consultation with the concerned service providers and those associated with the travel trade to address such a requirement with a view to giving necessary impetus to tourism and travel trade in the State.
Mr. Vohra indicated that SASB has initiated various other measures for extending maximum economic benefits to the local stakeholders in terms of creating tent-ages, shops and other establishments for the facility of pilgrims.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary to Governor and Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, B. B. Vyas, President, Travel Association, Kashmir,. Abdul Khaliq Wangnoo, President, Travel Association, Jammu,. Rajesh Gupta, former President, Travel Association, Kashmir, Nazir Bakshi, former Vice President, Travel Association, Kashmir,. Khazir Mohammad Dar, former Vice President, Travel Association, Kashmir, Ghulam Rasool Sia, General Secretary, Travel Association, Jammu, Harish Gosain, Member, Travel Association, Jammu, Gurmit Singh and r. Madan Mantoo, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.