Why is Jammu & Kashmir failing to develop ecotourism?
“The much-talked-about promotion of ecotourism in J&K along the lines of Karnataka and other states of India has remained confined to official statements of the PDP-BJP Coalition Government,” according to a scathing editorial by the Daily Excelsior.
“Neither a comprehensive policy has been formulated nor seriousness shown” towards sites identified for pilot projects two years ago, according to the paper.
Ministers regularly issue statements about the immense potential of ecotourism in J&K, however, the “situation on the ground is totally contrary to these statements as neither [the] required focus has been paid towards framing comprehensive ecotourism policy nor any step initiated for making facilities available at the already identified sites”, according to a source.
By September 2015 it is thought the Forest Department had identified four pilot projects each in the Kashmir and Jammu divisions that would be developed as potential ecotourism destinations. The sites were Bangus Valley (pictured above), Bojpathri, Tosamaidan, Daksum, Pahalgam, Warwan, Sukrala and Machedi (Billawar).
It was understood that undertaking ecotourism activities at those sites would provide employment and business opportunities to locals while ensuring minimal disturbance to the forest ecosystem.
Neelum River along the J&K border. Source: Wikimedia / Sohailahmedraza
However, Forest Department officials are apparently unaware of any progress made in building the necessary infrastructure and facilities at these sites.
An official at the Forest Department told the Daily Excelsior: “We have prepared project reports for these sites and the same have been submitted to the Tourism Department […] I have not received any communication from the Tourism Department on this front to date”.
“[The] Tourism Department has to keep us informed before undertaking any activity vis-à-vis ecotourism promotion at these sites”.
However, another official said: “The projects for promotion of ecotourism are still being formulated and thereafter discussions will be held with Tourism Department authorities.”
“The contradictory statements […] clearly indicate the level of non-seriousness towards much-talked about promotion of ecotourism as well as lack of coordination”, sources told the paper.
According to the editorial this is not the first time the state has failed to walk the talk around ecotourism: “Several years ago” an ecotourism development plan conceived by a private-sector stakeholder with a strong track record of successful ecotourism development went missing.
The paper and its sources can reasonably ask: How can the Government promote ecotourism in J&K while adopting such a casual approach towards the development of ecotourism projects?
Full editorial at the Daily Excelsior.
From Wikipedia: Jammu and Kashmir is a state in northern India, often denoted by the acronym J&K. It is located mostly in the Himalayan mountains, and shares borders with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south. J&K has an international border with China in the north and east, and the Line of Control separates it from the Pakistani-administered territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan in the west and northwest respectively. The state has special autonomy under Article 370 of the Constitution of India.
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