Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 22: All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association (AJHLA) has condemned the discriminatory attitude of State Government while granting relief to the hoteliers of the State and deliberately neglecting Jammu hoteliers, who are the worst sufferer in concern of financial losses due to so many inhibiting factors including recent natural fury in the entire State.
Addressing the members, Inderjeet Khajuria, president, AJHLA referred to the meeting held during first week of October 2014 convened by Director Tourism and chaired by Minister for Tourism, GA Mir duly attended by Commissioner/Secretary Tourism, in which Jammu hoteliers were assured all kind of relief at par with their counterpart in Kashmir but the same has not been done.
He added that Jammu hoteliers are suffering continuous loss of rupees one crore a day due to the ramifications of scuffle between tent/ponywalas and langar walas at Baltal base camp of Shri Amarnath Yatra on July 18, 2014. Due to this uncalled episode, the whole yatra collapsed and sent frightening signal to entire nation resulting in abrupt decrease in tourist influx, he added.
The wounds of that grave incident were not healed when the natures’ fury engulfed whole the State as a result of incessant rains and flood, he said, adding that due to this the tourism in Jammu came practically to a halt which affected the hotel industry.
Khajuria further said that State Government had assured that equal treatment would be given to all the provinces in case of any sort of relief to hoteliers but step-mother treatment has been given to Jammu resulting in huge discrimination.
Making a fervent appeal to the State and Central Governments, Khajuria said that hotel industry in Jammu has already suffered a lot due to train link extension to Katra, diversion of long route busses and light vehicles from Kunjwani and restricting entry of inter-State busses in the Jammu city has resulted in collapse of hotel industry. Even the mega project launched by the Government to make Jammu as independent tourism destination got a big jolt due to recent floods, artificial lake project has been badly damaged and its timely completion is out of question. Foundation stone of cable car projects has not seen any progress and same is the case with multistoried building complex at General Bus Stand Jammu, he added.
Among others present were Pawan Gupta, Baldev Raj, Sunil Suri, Gurdarshan Singh, Bikram Singh and ML Sharma.
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