Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21: Following the success of ‘Apple Tourism’, Pune-based NGO Sarhad will launch ‘Border Tourism’ by training youths from Jammu-Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and North-East on July 19 this year, said Sarhad Founder-President Sanjay Nahar here today.
Giving details about the concept, Nahar said, “We will train the orphaned and poor youths, who want to do something for the development of their regions. Around 2,000 youths will be trained in ‘Border Tourism’ in the coming five years.”
Ganesh mandals from Pune, educational institutes and IT companies will be involved in this work. Eleven villages have been chosen in the first phase, including some villages on Pakistan border in Punjab, Lehota in Doda district, Hunderman in Kargil district, Aragam in Bandipora district, Sopore in Baramulla district, Dardpora in Kupwara district, villages from Bodoland (Kokrajhar) and Udalguri in the North-East and villages in Leh district on the China border. Tourists will be taken to these villages. They will experience the life and hardships of villagers on the country’s border, said Nahar.
Tourists will also interact with Army jawans and officers on India-Pakistan-Bangladesh-China border.
He said this initiative has potential to develop new tourist places and provide employment to local villagers on India’s border with its neighbours. This will also help to strengthen bonds between the people from border areas and those from the rest of the country.
Landscapes and natural beauty in Kashmir and the North-East attract people from across the globe. However, the enemy countries take undue advantage of impoverished people from the bordering areas. This situation prevails in many villages on the border in Jammu-Kashmir. The local people want development and peace. They, with support from Sarhad, aim to promote patriotism and development of their areas through this initiative, said Vaibhav Wagh, who is leading a team of volunteers to develop Hunderman as a model village.
Follow our WhatsApp channel