Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Jan, 21
Former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla today attended Vishal Bhandara at Preet Nagar and later addressed gathering present on the occasion. Beating the cold winter night, enthusiastic devotees attended the Bhandara in huge numbers, sought blessings and had prasad. Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla said all religions and religious preachers stand for love, amity and selfless service but their teachings are alarmingly falling silent in the din of hate and greed. To eschew these tendencies, there is immense need of generating awareness about the unity and diversity as professed by religious scholars and sages from time to time, he maintained.He said that best way of celebrating the occasion is to take a pledge to follow teachings of Great saints in letter and spirit and work for building a society based on the natural principles of social justice, equality, compassion, love and togetherness. There is need to follow teachings in our sacred Books which have inspired the generations and helped in transforming the society, making it conducive for various communities, irrespective of cast, creed and colour. He said the relevance of the teaching of the great saint and philosopher assumes significance now, as never before, since the society at large is confronted with a challenge from elements inimical to amity and brotherhood.
Adding further Bhalla said tourism has been well recognized as an Industry and as such it will have to be managed accordingly. If it is properly managed, it has vast potential of employment both directly and indirectly. There is no doubt that Kashmir has remained famous as a paradise on the planet earth since time immemorial. However, it is not only the valley of Kashmir alone, which fascinates the tourists/visitors, but the whole of Jammu region of the Jammu and Kashmir, has a tremendous scope of religious tourism provided greater attention is given to it. There is lot of scope of religious tourism in Jammu region and greater attention should be given to it. Development of Parks, picnic spots, creation of wayside facilities and landscaping also require to be taken up on a large scale by the development authorities wherever it becomes necessary.
Former Minister however maintained that BJP Govt failed to expedite the developmental issues of the pilgrim places and time bound completion of various infrastructural works so that the devotees coming to pay their obeisance get the requisite facilities.BJP Government failed to give flip to the religious tourism in J&K when there was need for comprehensive mechanism to ensure development of various religious places and shrines across J&K which could have elevated the socio-economic profile of these areas besides also providing the people with the opportunity of discharging their religious duties and obligations.
He regretted that the major development projects of Jammu including Artificial Tawi Lake and Barrage Project, Mubarak Mandi Heritage Project, Jumboo Zoo Project, Cable Car Project, Jammu Smart City Project, Development of Tawi Banks on Sabarmati pattern, New Medical Colleges, AIIMS Project etc. had failed to make any headway.Making a mention of Tawi Lake Project, he said that neither any initiative has been taken by the govt to restart the pending works nor has it imitated any action against delinquents accused of irregularities and bungling in the construction of the existing structure. J&K had no proposal for construction/completion of Artificial Lake on Tawi River which had been left half done by a Hyderabad based co named GVR infrastructure.
Similar was the fate of Cable Car Project connecting Bahu Fort and Maharaja Temple which were the most significant places of religious tourism in Jammu City, he regretted.
Further pointing towards the pathetic condition of Jumbo Zoo Project, he said that named after the founder of city king Jumbo Lochan, the mega project which was started with a great fan fare wore a deserted look. He regretted that the work on the project had been stalled for the past 2-3 years thereby exhibiting the government’s utter lack of concern and its most despicable apathy towards the projects of Jammu. Reminding further the BJP leaders of its tall sloganeering of development of Tawi River on Sabarmati pattern, he regretted the deplorable plight of ‘Suryaputri’ which had been converted into a garbage bin causing water pollution of serious magnitude. The condition of Jammu city is no better with anything more than a drop making our drains overflow. The lanes, drains, manholes, pipes all leaking mock at the slogans of making Jammu a Smart City, observed Singh adding that the govt. has miserably failed to live up to its promises.
