2 yrs on, no steps to restore lost glory of Tattapani

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 7

Once abuzz with tourist activities, Tattapani, which was famous for hot sulphur springs, today wears a deserted look following the submergence of sulphur springs in the Kol Dam hydropower project. Even after two years of commissioning of the project, no tangible steps have been taken to restore the lost glory of the tourist destination.

There is hardly any attraction for tourists and devotees to visit Tattapani as thousands of devotees converging on the banks of the Sutlej for taking a bath in the sulphur springs and performing rituals like “Tula Daan” and on Makar Sankranti every year is no longer there.

The earnings of priests and those engaged in tourism and allied activities had been badly hit and the slide in business was more than 90 per cent during the last two years, said Ramit, a local resident, adding that people used to visit the place round the year as taking a bath in sulphur springs helped in curing skin diseases.

“People who search the internet and come to Tattapani are a disappointed lot as the activities and attractions mentioned on websites no longer exist,” said Satya, a policeman posted at Tattapani.

When The Tribune team visited the place, it was isolated and even the resorts along the Sutlej wore a deserted look. “Our earnings have squeezed by more than 60 per cent and even after offering ayurveda treatment, inbuilt suplhur springs and boating facility, tourist inflow has reduced drastically,” said employees of Sandhya Sulphur Spring Healthcare Centre and Resort.

“No ghat has come up along the banks of the Sutlej,” said Ram Swaroop Sharma, BJP MP from Mandi. He said: “There is a proposal to construct separate ghats for women, tourists and religious activities, but nothing has been done. I have also taken the matter with the Chief Minister as shortfall in tourist inflow is affecting the economy of the locals,” he added.

The panchayat pradhan of Sunni, Jyotika, said tourism had suffered badly as earlier people used to spend time along the river banks, take bath in sulphur springs and visit the Shiv Goofa, but all these attractions was over now.

The only tourist activity going here is river rafting. Earlier, the rafting was done from Chaba to Tattapani, but now it is being done from Loti to Chaba and economic activities have been badly hit in the Sunni and Tattapani area.

Panchayat pradhan of Tattapani Meenu said the villagers had created bathing points themselves, while tenders were yet to be opened for the construction of ghats, 4 km from Tattapani, on the Karsog road by the government. The resort of the Tourism Development Corporation had also been affected by the Kol Dam and the construction of the resort at the new site was yet to commence, she added.

Dip in earnings 

• Tattapani, which was famous for hot sulphur springs, now wears a deserted look following the submergence of sulphur springs in the Kol Dam hydropower project. 
• Even after two years of commissioning of the project, no tangible steps have been taken to restore the lost glory of the tourist destination. 
• "Our earnings have squeezed by more than 60 per cent and even after offering ayurveda treatment, inbuilt suplhur springs and boating facility, tourist inflow has reduced drastically," said employees of Sandhya Sulphur Spring Healthcare Centre and Resort.