Jammu, Mar 25: People’s Democratic Party on Thursday criticised National Conference led government saying it was spending government exchequer on foreign tours and trips and has done nothing to attract tourists to the state.
 Speaking on the grants of Tourism, Forestry and Wild Life departments, MLA Pahalgam Rafi Ahmed Mir said despite being back bone of the economy of the State this sector was neglected by the present dispensation.
 He said that arranging foreign tours of Ministers especially in the European countries on government expenditure was the only noticeable efforts initiated by this government for attracting tourists.
 He, however, said that despite huge expenditure of government exchequer, this regime even failed to convince embassies of the European countries not to forbid their countrymen from visiting Kashmir.
 “What is fun of expending huge money on foreign trips of Minister when European countries have issues advisories against visiting Kashmir?”, he asked and added that instead of spending huge among on the foreign tours of Ministers government should exploit tourism potential of other places also.
 “We are happy that tourism potential has expanded beyond Kashmir and new areas like Ladakh, Mansar, Patnitop, Sanasar and Shiv Khori have been emerging as potential tourist destinations,” he said and demanded that funds should be given on the basis potential.
 Stressing on the regulation of number of yatries during Amarnath of Yatra, Mir quoted report Sen Gupta Committee in which it was recommended to strict number of pilgrims per day to avoid reoccurrence of 1996 tragedy when a large number of pilgrims had lost their lives due to hostile weather. “Regulation of number of yatries and period of Yatra should be done with consensus among all sections of the society”, he said and added that ecological aspect should also be taken into consideration during Yatra period. He mentioned decision of the Uttaranchal Government which too has imposed certain restrictions on pilgrims.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST