Sir,
Hundreds of tourists from the adjoining states throng Atal Setu and Purthu Beach, the tourist spots, daily but they soon feel disappointed when they find non welcoming attitude of the Tourism Department of the State, lack of proper place to sit there during the scorching heat and chilling cold , absence of public facilities like tea stalls, restaurants, fresh potable water and the un operational motor boats.
The LSDA , an agency of the Jammu and Kashmir state tourism department has been created by the State Government for boosting and accelerating the tourism of Basohli and Bani. But even a decade after its formation no tangible development has been noticed on the ground level. Madam Mehbooba Mufti Ex CM Jammu and Kashmir laid foundation stone for the development of tourism at Basohli with an initial amount of 100 crores for establishing water sports intitutue, introduction of water games, converting the Purtu beach into an ESSEl world and what not. But the ground reality is not concealed from anyone. As an eye wash tourism department purchased four costly sophisticated fiberglass, motor boats for the tourists amusement and riding but the boats are harboured at such a place where it is not possible for tourists to ride the boat. With the result, no tourist likes to take the risk of enjoying motor boat trip in the lake. About six months back the Forest Department also purchased some motor boats for the tourists visiting tourist spots of Basohli, but the boats could not be put to use they were purchased for and have become items of an exhibition because many of them might have developed defects.
Moreover these idle boats have become the gamblers and anti social elements dens. The tourists feel dejected when they do not get a shady place to sit under, facility of tea stall or a restaurant run by the LSDA. The tourists scold themselves and the authorities for the neglect of the tourists. It is worth mentioning here that on the one hand LSDA is in the deep slumber, on the other the newly formed Basohli Bani Development Authority has not come in existence even after the lapse of almost one year. The whole tourism development wortk has been stalled for the reasons well known to the State Government.
Shiv Kumar Padha
Basohli.
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