Tourist place losing glory due to official apathy, horse dung greets guests

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Mohammad Tahir

SRINAGAR: Despite the fact that, government is trying hard to attract tourists to Kashmir valley, but the department concerned has failed to take care of most of the tourist places, with the result tourists spots are losing pristine glory due to official apathy.

According to sources, a huge amount is being spent on advertisements to attract tourists from Indian and abroad to visit the scenic places in Kashmir valley so that it could generate huge revenue and can send a message of hospitality in Kashmir.

“There is no doubt about the fact people of Jammu and Kashmir are very hospitable and they are known everywhere for their hospitality and soft approaches towards the tourists whosoever visits here,” said sources.

Sources said, there are number of places that are being visited by tourists during different seasons round the year, but is it also the fact that, the department has completely failed to maintain the parks, gardens, roads, cafeterias, huts and other related facilities.

“In the recent past, a group of national tourists visited Yousmarg in Budgam district of central Kashmir, but their disappointment started with first impression of roads that are in shambles, and then after they were greeted by the horse dung that was visible everywhere in the tourist place,” said sources.

Once attractive tourist destination Yousmarg, as it was giving an opportunity to tourists to enjoy panoramic views of peaks, and grassy meadows, they used to involve themselves in various activities like trekking, skiing, and pony riding is losing its sheen due to ill maintenance by the development authority.

It is hard to understand that why department concerned has failed in maintaining of the parks and roads, even though the common people believe that such a tourist place is losing its glory due to official apathy.

“The foreign tourists have been telling us about their places, how clean are the roads, parks there, but they get disappointed after seeing dust and garbage everywhere on roads, and especially horse dung. People have also complained that they are fed up with cellular network, as hardly BSNL works there but not as it should be and most of the cell phones often remain not-reachable or switched off for hours,” sources added.

They said that the heaps of garbage emitting foul smell are laying everywhere on green pastures, on roads in Yousmarg.