Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 23: All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association (AJHLA) has requested the Government to exempt the starving hotel industry from various Government charges/fees like electricity, water and usage charges till the COVID pandemic is over.
The plea was made during a meeting of office bearers of AJHLA held today. During the meeting, AJHLA chairman Inderjeet Khajuria expressed serious concern over the plight of Jammu people particularly those connected with tourism sector because of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. “Tourism sector has been pushed to innumerable hardships rather than any relief from Government side and stake holders are passing through the worst phase of their life because of almost zero business,” he added.
President of the Association Pawan Gupta expressed disappointment on ignoring the tourism sector particularly hotel industry from the purview of any special relief package even after repeated requests to the Government. “The condition of the smokeless industry, already on the ventilator due to extension of train service from Jammu to Katra has worsened further due to engulfing impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. The onslaught of dangerous third wave of Corona virus is going to annihilate tourism sector particularly the hotel industry from world map,” he added.
Gupta said that the budget hotel industry already on its last breath would unable to sustain the attack of Corona pandemic and has started collapsing because of poor business and zero support from the Government. “At this critical juncture, dying hotel industry needs hand holding by the Government for their survival,” he asserted.
He lamented that instead of giving any financial relief package to hotel industry, Government has made the registration/renewal of hotels and lodges complicated. He appealed the Government to relax and simplify registration/renewal process in case of surviving hotels and lodges, already destroyed by COVID pandemic.
Other office bearers present in the meeting were M L Sharma, Pritam Sharma, Anil Khajuria, H S Manhas, Baldev Raj, Sunil Suri, Swarn Singh, Sankul Gupta, Manpreet Singh, Varun Gupta and Nishant Gupta.
Follow our WhatsApp channel