Chandigarh, March 31
A resolution to set up a society for the promotion of ayurveda and health tourism projects in North India, was passed during the seminar on “Indian Systems of Medicines and Health Tourism” held here today. Mr D.S. Jaspal, Secretary, Punjab Government, will be the first president of the society and Dr S.S. Savrikar, Adviser, Indian System of Medicines & Homoeopathy, Union Ministry of Health, Government of India, was appointed patron.
The seminar, part of a “Arogya”, a seminar cum Expo of Indian systems of medicine and health, was organised by the Institute of Tourism and Future Management Trends (ITFT) under the aegis of Union Ministry of Health, GOI, Chandigarh Tourism Department and the CITCO. It supported the view that there was an immense potential of health tourism in the region.
Moving the resolution, Mr B.K. Srivastava, Secretary, Punjab said that the society would have representatives from the governments of northern states. The ITFT will be the nodal agency for planning, developing feasibility studies and providing secretarial services to the society.
Inaugurating the seminar, Dr S S Savrikar stressed on the need to improve infrastructure in the existing ayurvedic colleges in the country. He said that herbal gardens should be developed, Panchkarma, yoga and health food should be introduced in the tourism complexes, adding that both short term and need based health tourism packages should be offered to both domestic and international tourists.
Mr S.P. Singh, Special Secretary Tourism, Chandigarh Administration, highlighted the potential of the city to be promoted as a health tourism destination. He invited private sector to set up health tourism ventures in Chandigarh and assured help. He also added that there was a proposal to introduce health tourism facilities in CITCO ventures.
Mr S.P. Thakur, Managing Director, Haryana Tourism Corporation, informed that Morni Hills was suitable for a health tourism resort. He also said that facilities for health tourism would also be introduced in the Suraj Kund complex.
Others, who spoke were, Dr Pradeep Nagrath, MD, Pentovox India Ltd, Dr R. Vatsyayan of Sanjivni, Dr Sanjeev Sood, Head, Department of Panchkarma, Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar, Dr (Mrs) Surinder Katoch, ayurvedic physician & consultant, Dr M.L. Gulati, Assistant Director, Chandigarh Administration, Dr Gayanendra Pandey, Assistant Director, Ayurveda, CCRAS, Government of India, Dr Rakesh Pandit, OSD, Department of Ayurveda, Himachal Pradesh, Dr Anis Ansari, Adviser (Unani), CCRUM, Government of India and Dr Pema Dorji, Professor, Tibetan Medical & Astrological Institute, Dharamsala.
Mr K.P. Sinha, Associate Editor, The Tribune, chaired the session. Summing up the proceedings, he lauded the efforts of the ITFT-Chandigarh and Chandigarh Tourism Department for organising the seminar.
A demonstration of yoga and panchkarma was also given by students of the local Shri Dhanvantri Ayurveda College.
An EXPO has also been organised on the lawns of Hotel Shivalik View for three days leading ayurvedic, unani and Tibetan doctors are giving free consultancy.
