* Sanasar Golf Course yet to meet objective behind its creation
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 6: Shocking it may sound but it is a fact that the huge financial assistance provided by the Union Government to Jammu and Kashmir during the past many years was largely utilized for creation of assets only to be left idle instead of meeting the intended objective of tourism promotion. In many cases, the assets have only benefitted the contractors and not the tourists because of slackness of those who remained at the helm of affairs in different wings of the Tourism Department.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that to promote eco-tourism particularly in unexplored areas, the Union Government under “Destination Development Programme Phase-II” sanctioned Saffron Safari for the Kishtwar district in the month of September 2007. The project envisaged construction of one HRD Centre, fencing of the area, walkways, water supply and sanitation to attract tourists to see saffron fields as promotion of eco-tourism.
The project was completed in March 2011 albeit not with all the components at a cost of Rs 1.60 crore but the entire expenditure has only benefitted the contractor engaged for the construction work as no activity connected with Saffron Safari has been undertaken till date and the entire structure is lying idle and mocking at the slogan of tourism promotion, sources said.
Moreover, there is no activity on the part of Kishtwar Development Authority to protect the structure worth crores of rupees which is evident from the fact that the damages caused to the structure during the Kishtwar riots few years back have yet not been restored, sources further said while disclosing that neither walkways have been constructed nor fencing of the area has been done till date.
Similarly, under “Destination Development Programme Phase-II”, Kishtwar Development Authority in March 2009 constructed Water Sports Centre at Dool at a cost of Rs 1.21 crore for promotion of water sports. But, this facility has failed to yield the intended objective as required number of equipment for water sports could not be acquired till date as a result of which the entire expenditure has only benefited the contractor and infrastructure is lying as idle asset.
When contacted, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Kishtwar Development Authority, Pawan Parihar confirmed that both these projects could not be put to use till date because of varied reasons. As far as Saffron Safari is concerned, he said, “we have prepared and submitted Detailed Project Report of Rs 36 lakh for saffron development and other allied activities. Moreover, estimates have been prepared for chain link fencing of Saffron Safari”. “We are hopeful of early release of funds following which we will promote this place for tourists”, he claimed.
About Water Sports Centre, he said, “actually we wanted to outsource this facility but nobody came forward till date and we are planning to make fresh attempts in this regard not only for Water Sports Centre but also in respect of Saffron Safari”. He attributed damage to Saffron Safari to shortage of watch and ward staff with the Kishtwar Development Authority.
“From the version of the Chief Executive Officer, it can be easily gauged that even in near future these assets created by spending crores of rupees will remain idle”, sources remarked.
Another testimony of idle assets is Golf Course at Sanasar, which was also taken up under “Destination Development Scheme” of the Union Government. An expenditure of Rs 1.49 crore was incurred between 2005-06 and 2008-09 on the redevelopment—segregating meadows with decorative fencing and construction of alternative footpath and redevelopment of nine holes and procurement of mechanical equipment.
However, this Golf Course could not be put to the use the way it was planned till date, sources said, adding what to talk of organizing the Golf Tournaments for tourism promotion even the Golf Course has not been formally thrown open for the Golfers.
Likewise, an expenditure of Rs 24 lakh was incurred on installation of video games in Mansar area, which falls under Surinsar-Mansar Development Authority but these games were never operationalized and the entire expenditure has turned out to be wasteful. “All these instances clearly indicate that there was no proper planning before utilization of funds sanctioned by the Union Government and idle assets are only mocking at the slogan of tourism promotion”, sources added.
“Since Union Government is liberal in providing financial assistance to J&K for tourism promotion, the Tourism Department must ensure that the mistakes committed in the past are not repeated and each and every penny of the Central assistance yields the desirable results in Jammu region, which needs creation of infrastructure on large scale for attracting tourists”, sources stressed.
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