J&K bid to woo tourists
KONGDORI (Gulmarg), Oct 29 — The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department is planning to make preparations to "begin the next millennium on an auspicious note" by attracting lakhs of tourists to picnic spots from some of the revered shrines in the state. In this connection the private sector has been sounded to conduct the process, while the department will be regulating and organising various programmes.

Police lacks modern weapons: DGP
SRINAGAR, Oct 29 — As part of the anti-militancy operations by the state police, battalions of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police wing are being engaged to assist the Special Operation Group in different areas of Kashmir and Jammu divisions.


Library cries for attention
UDHAMPUR: The district library here is the sole government library which called for the immediate attention of the authorities concerned as it has been reeling under unsatisfactory conditions from the past many years. The library lacks all basic facilities that are needed for its smooth functioning. The library has been running into rough weather owing to a shortage of funds.

J&K bid to woo tourists
Tribune News Service

KONGDORI (Gulmarg), Oct 29 — The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department is planning to make preparations to "begin the next millennium on an auspicious note" by attracting lakhs of tourists to picnic spots from some of the revered shrines in the state. In this connection the private sector has been sounded to conduct the process, while the department will be regulating and organising various programmes.

This was disclosed by Mr Parvez Dewan, Commissioner, Tourism Department, while talking to newsmen here yesterday. He was accompanied by the Director General, Tourism, Mr Mohammad Ashraf and Mr Farooq Ahmad Khan, Managing Director of the Gulmarg Gondola Project. Mr Dewan said a record number of over one lakh pilgrims attend the Vaishno Devi shrine every year on January 1 to begin the year "on an auspicious note". He added that at least 5 lakh pilgrims would be attending the shrine on the occasion of the beginning of the new millennium. "I will talk to the organisers at Hazratbal and Chrar-e-Sharief shrines to get pilgrims for them", Mr Dewan said that special programmes for tourists would be organised at Gulmarg, Patnitop and Mansar as also in the Ladakh region. Over three to four lakh tourists will be visiting Kashmir next summer, against over one lakh this year, Mr Dewan expected.

It was in Gulmarg the first winter national games were held early this year. The picnic spot has slopes for skiing, mountaineering, ice hockey and other winter sports. Mr Dewan dispelled the criticisms over the ‘failure’ of the winter games at the cost of more than Rs 10 crore, saying it was a drive towards conveying to the world that there still was room for tourism in Kashmir.

The Gulmarg Gondola Project, a unit of the Jammu and Kashmir State Cable Car Corporation, is the main attraction for tourists, the first phase of which was commissioned on January 28 last, a day before the beginning of the national winter games. Presently 30 cars with a capacity of six each are operational between Gulmarg and Kongdori. Since the commissioning of the project more than 80,000 tourists have utilised the cable car services to the scenic beauty of Kongdori, adjacent to Khilanmarg, giving a revenue of Rs 70,30,000 to the project.

Giving details about the project, Mr Farooq Ahmad Khan said initially the project in consultation with a foreign company was started in 1987. It was to be completed at a cost of Rs 26.91 crore within two years. But since the eruption of militancy, the work was suspended for more than eight years. The work was restarted last year and it became more attractive sport for tourists, Farooq Ahmad Khan said.

More tourists are expected this winter, according to Mr Mohammad Ashraf, Director General, Tourism Department. These include both domestic and foreign tourists. An Australian team of skiirs headed by Carl Lyon is expected to conduct the games at this winter sports venue. So far only 300 skiing tourists have visited Gulmarg against about 2,000 skiing tourists annually before the eruption of militancy, he said.

The department is also spending Rs 2 crore for publicity on tourism in Jammu and Kashmir during the current financial year. Out of these funds Rs 55 lakh have been spent for tourism publicity for the Jammu region and Rs 70 lakh for the Kashmir valley in foreign country. International travel agencies and national advertising agencies have been contacted in this regard and there has been a good response, he said. "For the present, thrust is on domestic tourism", Mr Mohammad Ashraf said.

The selection of national skiing team for participation in the next year’s Asian Games to be played in Korea, will be made at Gulmarg. In this connection about 30 players from all over the country, including those from Gulmarg, will be participating in the month-long games from December 20, the DG Tourism, Mr Mohammad Ashraf said.

Several measures have been taken to hold the games events this winter at Gulmarg. The ski shop of the Tourism Department has got over 350 skiing sets. These include 150 sets for adults, 120 for children, 20 for cross-country race and 30 for skiing and mountaineering. Apart from this there are 42 sets of skates for ice hockey. All these sets were imported from France and Germany in 1994 and 1997. The JK Tourism Development Corporation, (JKTDC) is also making arrangements for over a dozen huts in the area for accommodating the skiing tourists.

Police lacks modern weapons: DGP
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Oct 29 — As part of the anti-militancy operations by the state police, battalions of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP) wing are being engaged to assist the Special Operation Group (SOG) in different areas of Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

Talking to mediapersons here today, the DGP, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, said that these battalions were being sent to Kupwara and Baramulla in the Kashmir valley and the Surankote and Arnas areas of the Jammu region. These battalions would assist the Special Task Force or the SOG in fighting militants in these areas. Rest of the battalions of the armed wing would remain at Srinagar and Jammu, the DGP said.

The DGP said militancy was waning in the valley and the local militants were doing the job of guides only.

The police chief said more volunteers were coming to join the Special Task Force or the SOG which had been carved out to fight the militants. He admitted the scarcity of sophisticated weapons to the police. In this connection, the Centre had requested to provide financial assistance.

He said the police would be getting Rs 43 crore assistance from the Centre next month. This would be spent on the creation of two India Reserve Police (IRP) battalions, manning of 114 newly created border posts, Rs 20 crore for arms and Rs 10 crore for modernisation.

The sanction for the creation of 114 border posts from Jammu to Baramulla and Kupwara districts had been approved. All these posts would be manned by the Jammu and Kashmir police personnel.

Library cries for attention
From Romesh Gupta

UDHAMPUR: The district library here is the sole government library which called for the immediate attention of the authorities concerned as it has been reeling under unsatisfactory conditions from the past many years. The library lacks all basic facilities that are needed for its smooth functioning. The library has been running into rough weather owing to a shortage of funds.

It is presently housed in two rooms of a government building near the Goal Market area. The present condition of the room is bad. The cracks in the walls are noticeable. There are deep cracks in the ceiling too and during the rainy season, water seeps in. The leakages not only dampen, but also damage rare books as well as the furniture.

During summers, the high temperature inside the rooms makes it almost impossible for readers to sit. Fans have been installed there, but these do not give any respite to the readers.

Besides, there is no drinking water arrangement in the library and readers have to go outside to quench their thirst. The library has been provided with a meagre staff strength comprising two personnel, who are not very helpful to the readers in finding books. The stock of books is old. New arrivals editions are badly needed.

The electricity fitting of the library building is also in a bad shape. Live wires can be seen lying in the open and are a potential danger to the readers.

* * *

Udhampur has remained an undeveloped city in view of the lack of civic amenities. However, over the past several years, a number of new colonies have sprung up. The Town Area Committee looks after sanitary and other civic amenities.

There are some main colonies which have good roads, lanes and drains, but 60 per cent of the city area lacks these. It becomes difficult to walk on the roads there as these are yet to be metalled. During rains, water gets accumulated on these kacha roads.

The lanes and drains get choked with filth and mud. The area completely lacks a proper drainage system to drain out the accumulated water which stagnates there for a longer period. The stagnated water emits a foul smell and breeds mosquitoes.

The committee since its inception, has a limited strength of sweepers. There are only 100 sweepers who mostly clean the developed localities which already have better roads and proper drainage system. The authorities when asked to increase the strength of sweepers, say it is not possible for them due to meagre funds supplied by the state government.

Meanwhile, there is no proper street lighting system in certain areas which remain dark during the evening hours. People do not dare to venture out in the pitch darkness due to fear of snakes and other eventualities.

* * *

The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is the only single road communication system for the Kashmir valley. All kinds of supplies, whether for the civil population or for the armed forces staying there, are maintained through this highway.

There is a heavy traffic flow on this highway. Daily 4,000 to 5,000 vehicles, both heavy and light, ply on the road. The highway mostly passes through a hilly terrain. Due to frequent widening to accommodate the heavy flow of traffic, the hilly terrain has become feeble.

During heavy rains of rainy and winter seasons, the communication link to the valley gets disrupted for days together suspending over all flow of supplies. Due to land sliding, the ditches and puddles have now surfaced along the entire route which have made the movement of vehicular traffic difficult.

To minimise the communication problems of the people, the state government, however, has taken in hand the Mughal Road project. But the project is going on at snail's pace because of lack of the required funds. The government has requested the Central government to release the necessary funds for an early completion of this alternate route.