*Inspects progress on rehabilitation, Tourist Villages
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 2: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta today conducted an extensive tour of interiors of Dal Lake and took stock of various ongoing works for the development of Model In-situ Rehabilitation and Tourist Villages.
The Chief Secretary was accompanied by GOC 15 Corps, D P Pandey; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole; Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar; Commissioner SMC; VC LCMA; Directors of various departments including Tourism, Handloom & Handicraft, Animal Husbandry, Sheep Husbandry, Horticulture, Agriculture, Floriculture, Fisheries, Skill Development and Chief Engineers of UEED, PHE, KPDCL and PWD besides other officers.
During the tour, the Chief Secretary stressed upon the officers to prepare a comprehensive plan for holistic development of hamlets in Dal Lake to create tourist villages.
Dr. Mehta directed officers to frame a plan under VC LCMA for five villages; Kachri Mohalla, Sofi Mohalla, Tinda Mohallah, Akhoon Mohalla, Vegetable market and flooting garden on pilot basis for the development of tourist villages having all basic facilities for inhabitants as well as tourists and local visitors.
The Chief Secretary also asked the officers that the development of tourist villages should be carried in such a manner that they will provide home stay facilities to tourists.
While asking for handholding of youth of these areas, Dr. Mehta directed the officers of Handloom & Handicraft and Skill Development to establish skill training centers in these areas for imparting skill training to educated youth of these hamlets in relevant trades.
He also directed other officers to utilize schemes of respective departments for the benefit of educated local unemployed youth and aware maximum people about those schemes.
Dr. Mehta, on the occasion asked the officers to explore the possibilities under mission youth scheme for development of these model villages and stressed on creation of youth clubs in these areas and their involvement in sustainable development of these hamlets.
Highlighting about creating awareness among people regarding various welfare schemes, the Chief Secretary directed officers of Fisheries, Floriculture, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry to acquaint people about the beneficiary schemes implemented by their respective departments so that local people would get employment and reap maximum benefits out of them.
During the tour, several Dal dwellers also interacted with the Chief Secretary and apprised him regarding various issues like dredging of channels, power, washroom for tourists, development of parks besides sought technological guidance from various departments on various issues related to conservation of Dal Lake.
Earlier, the Chief Secretary also visited Char Chinar and inspected its ongoing restoration works.
Meanwhile, Spring and Tulip Festival series organised by the Department of Tourism concluded last evening with a spectacular show of light and sound in the Dal Lake.
The main attraction of the function was the display of a water screen, something for the first time, in the middle of the Dal Lake which was liked by the audience comprising scores of tourists and local visitors.
During the Water Screen presentation, the Department showcased the 75 offbeat destinations being further developed by it.
Chief Secretary, Dr A K Mehta; Commissioner-Secretary, Floriculture, Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole; Secretary, Tourism & Culture, Sarmad Hafeez; VC, Lake Conservation Authority, Bashir Ahmad; Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Dr. G N Itoo; Director, Floriculture, Farooq Ahmad Rather; other senior officers, tourists, local visitors were present on the occasion.
Besides, presentation of offbeat destinations, presentations and videos depicting the culture and cuisine of Kashmir were also displayed on the water screen.
Artists decked in colourful local attire and singing local welcome songs while shikaras carrying them rowed through the waters gave a mesmerizing ambience to the event.
The festivities of the event continued till late in the evening.
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