TOSA MAIDAN : Even as the Tosa Maidan meadow was officially thrown open to public on Sunday, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti pulled up officials for starting tourism activities here without getting necessary clearance from the army, which used it as a firing range till 2014.
Mehbooba, who arrived here to declare the meadow open for tourism activities and inaugurate a three-day festival, was briefed by district administration and Tourism Department about proposed tourism activities.
Mir Altaf Hussain, the Deputy Commissioner Budgam, informed the CM that administration “has taken up” the matter of procuring necessary clearance from the army that the area has been cleared of artillery and shells.
The Chief Minister then questioned him, Tourism Secretary Farooq Shah, and Kashmir Tourism Director Mehmood Shah as to why the place was opened for tourists without obtaining requisite clearance.
“I mean there should not be any untoward incident tomorrow, God forbid,” she said.
As the officials grappled with answers, Budgam SSP Fayaz Ahmad Lone stepped in and informed the Chief Minister that the “army had actually sanitised the whole area but the problem is that a certificate has not been taken from them”.
“They must have forgotten it after the government changed in the state, otherwise the area has been sanitised,” he told her.
Mehbooba then went on to address those gathered there, but not before asking officials to stop people from visiting far-off places till clearance is taken from the army.
Later in her speech, Mehbooba acknowledged the important role played by the previous National Conference and Congress government in getting the army to vacate the land.
She also thanked former chief minister Omar Abdullah for his efforts.
Tosa Maidan, which was used by the army as an artillery firing range for several decades, was handed back to the state government in 2014.
The state government has assured army of an alternate firing range.
Speaking on the occasion, Mehbooba said Tosa Maidan will be brought on the tourist map of the state without disturbing its fragile environment.
She stressed on promoting the historic meadow through community-driven adventure and rural tourism initiatives to facilitate the turnaround of the socio-economic profile of the locals, especially the youth.
“Every initiative on part of tourism department will be taken keeping in view the local environs and economy,” she said, adding she would “never allow despoiling of this beautiful meadow” while promoting tourism.
The picturesque meadow would not turn into a “concrete jungle” as has unfortunately happened with other tourist resorts in the state, she said.
The Chief Minister also announced a new Tourism Development Authority to ensure focused development of the area.
“The Government will constitute a new Tourism Development Authority for Tosa Maidan which will be integrated with Gulmarg, Yusmarg and Dodhpathri Tourism Development Authorities to promote it as an adventure tourism circuit,” she said.
Mehbooba called for greater public-private interface to create a sustainable revenue model by utilising available infrastructure for economic advantage of local residents.
“To begin with, 50 local ‘Kothawalas’ would provide lodging to those visiting the Tosa Maidan meadow,” she said, adding that the Tourism Department would assist them in creating requisite facilities.
She also directed the officials concerned to start a plantation drive so that loss of forest area due to the firing range can be compensated.
Later, the Chief Minister also visited the tourist destinations of Yusmarg and Gulmarg to take stock of infrastructure and other facilities available for the tourists there.
Tosa Maidan, which was used by the Army as an artillery firing range for several decades, was handed back to the state government in 2014.