Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 7: Saying that tourism embeds economic welfare of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that preservation and conservation of natural beauty and bio-diversity of the State, is imperative for safeguarding tourist industry and ensuring remunerative benefits out of it.
“We have to transfer the natural resources God has bestowed upon us to the next generation in a better and preserved form to make the tourism sustain and continue percolating economic benefits to the people in an unabated manner”, he said directing for adhering to all requirements necessary for protection of State’s ecology, natural beauty, water bodies, mountains and environment while implementing tourism development programmes.
Chairing the 7th meeting of Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) this afternoon, the Chief Minister said that the world famous Gulmarg demands additional attention of the concerned departments to maintain its grandeur and glory.
He asked the development authority to focus attention on upgrading facilities without tampering with natural phenomena and ambiance of this beautiful meadow surrounded by majestic mountains covered with forest wealth. He stressed the need for providing better sanitation facilities and disposal of garbage and waste in a scientific manner.
Omar Abdullah also emphasized on cleanliness of the area and management of tourist traffic in the area in a better manner. He said Gulmarg is also emerging as important Golf-Centre attracting golfers from all over the country. He said that golf events of national and international levels need to be organized at Gulmarg to showcase it’s speciality.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister of State for Tourism, Nasir Aslam Wani, Legislator, Basharat Ahmad Bukhari, Principal Secretary Finance, M. I. Khandey, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Principal Chief Conservator Forests, Vinod Ranjan, Commissioner Secretary Tourism, Atal Dulloo, Chief Executive Officer, Gulmarg Development Authority, Mehmood Ahmad Shah and other senior officers.
In a PowerPoint presentation, Chief Executive Officer, Gulmarg Development Authority, Mehmood Ahmad Shah said that the inflow of tourist to Gulmarg is showing increase year after year and during the current year about 15 lakh tourists have visited this place. He said to manage the garbage and waste disposal the task has been outsourced since last year helping in improving the hygiene of the resort.
He said that a project for installing incinerator to dispose of garbage has been formulated and Mechanical Engineering Department entrusted the job for its early launch. He said Kashmir University is presently undertaking the environmental assessment survey of the resort and it is also in process of repairing the geographical information system for Gulmarg. The study will be helpful in futuristic planning and development of the resort.
He said that the Authority is actively involved in adding new adventure segments like Zorbring, Snow-Zorbring and Water-Zorbring, Bungee Trampoline, etc coupled with all terrain vehicles.
The meeting discussed the agenda items and reviewed the action taken report on the decisions taken in 6th meeting of the GDA. The meeting also reviewed works programme for 2011-12 and annual plan proposals for 2012-13.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
