Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 13: The hoteliers of Srinagar who provide service to Estates Department for providing accommodation to both move and non-move Government employees today accused Department of flouting rules and succumbing to political pressure.
They allege that they selected those hotels for ‘non-move period which doesn’t qualify to be included. The representatives of Estate Hired Hotel Owners Association (EHHOA) told Excelsior that they are affiliated with the Estates Department since 1990 and every year after scrutinizing properly and as per rules, the Government hires their hotels.
“Till date, the process was going on smoothly without any political interference. Government used to issue tenders and constitutes a panel headed by Special Secretary to Chief Minister and the committee comprised representatives from Directorate of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), Tourism Department, Protocol, Security, Revenue Department, Roads and Buildings (R&B) and Power Development Department. The panel used to examine hotels and make list. Thereafter, the hotels are being selected,” said General Secretary of EHHOA, Tariq Mushtaq.
Mushtaq said the Government had this year also constituted a committee in March but surprisingly they constituted another committee in October. “This was unusual and the second committee succumbed to political pressure and selected those hotels which belong to the workers of party,” he said.
As per EHHOA, the Estates Department selected 91 hotels for the non-move employees and out of this 30 hotels have been selected due to political interference.
The EHHOA said the ‘non-eligible’ hotels include Al Emran near Civil Secretariat, Mountain View Indra Nagar, White Pearl Iqbal Park, Jhelum View Rajbagh, Hotel Momin Magarmal Bagh, Arif Guest House Rajbagh, Alexandra Hotel Bishember Nagar, Hill View Indra Nagar, Fiza Guest House Indra Nagar and Bhat Guest House Rajbagh.
“We are solely working with Government during Durbar move and non-move. The hotels which have been selected by the Government due to political influence accommodate tourists during summers but we don’t do that,” said aggrieved hoteliers.
The hoteliers’ body threatened to stop providing service to the Government if they flout norms. “If the Government wants to go ahead by flouting rules and norms, then it would be difficult for us to work with it. Even Director Estates admitted that he can’t do anything because he is under political pressure”, they added.
Despite repeated attempts by Excelsior, the Director Estates and his deputy could not be reached for his comment.
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