Srinagar, the smart(ing) city!

Instead of becoming a “Smart” City, Srinagar is smarting under the pain we have caused it

Government of India has been contemplating setting up of some “Smart” cities in different states. As usual Jammu and Srinagar are competing with each other to be nominated as “Smart” cities.

It is debatable whether any of these deserves to be a “Smart” city? If viewed with an honest and objective mind, both the cities are smarting under a heavy burden of not only haphazard growth but total urban mismanagement. 

Srinagar is probably one of the oldest cities in the world. The 2000 year old city is something one should have been proud of. Only few decades back Srinagar used to be the capital of “Paradise on Earth” but not now. Description of Srinagar especially its gardens, popular avenues, chinars, the Bund walkway, and the shimmering waters of Dal Lake given in some of the earlier travelogues seems like a dream. A dream now gone sour! It is not a proud moment for a Kashmiri when his capital city, probably one of the oldest in the world is rated as the 4th dirtiest city in India. To know the difference between the Srinagar of yesteryears and now, it is interesting to quote some extracts from some old travelogues of Europeans. Margaret Cotter Morison in her book “A lonely summer in Kashmir” written in 1904 says, “Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir and the only big town in the country, is a place full of life and picturesqueness, which captivates the visitor by its novelty and perpetually amuses him by the many quaint similarities to places seen before. With the polo-ground, tennis-courts, and smartly dressed ladies, one might think oneself in an ordinary Indian station; at the Residency garden-parties, where croquet is played on the softest of lawns, and strawberries and cream dispensed under cool spreading trees, any one would think himself at a country house in England; on the river above the town, where house-boats are crowded close together for over a mile, the sight recalls Henley a few days before the regatta; a row down the town where houses and temples line the banks, where gracefully carved wooden balconies overhang the water, where men and women loiter chattering on the steps, and half the population lives in boats, brings back faint memories of Venice.” 

The descriptions of Srinagar seem out of this world. Where have these gone? Destroyed by the greed of the people and the apathy of the rulers! What does Srinagar of today look like? Mounds of stinking garbage strewn in every nook and corner. Dug up roads, overflowing drains, coverless manholes, and swarms of wild and vicious dogs prowling everywhere! The famous River Jhelum is like a sewer taking in sewerage from all the towns and villages on its banks. The view from the world renowned boulevard is more disheartening. One gets the stink of a dying water body. It is more so in hot weather. Lake is in its last throes of death. So far no one has been really able to arrest its further deterioration. The reasons for these disasters are many. The first is the edifice of corruption on which the state runs. The departments concerned with the maintenance of the character of the city and keeping it clean are doing just the opposite. There is absolutely no accountability. There is a free for all prevalent everywhere. One department is paving the roads and the other one is digging these up! There is no co-ordination. The only thing that makes things move is underhand money. Municipal Corporation, Urban Development Department, Public Health Engineering, Power Department, and so on ensure the upkeep of the VVIP and VIP areas. All civic facilities are to be provided here on top priority. Rest does not matter.

What is “Smart City”? The Times of India carried a story describing the concept of the “Smart City”. “A city equipped with basic infrastructure to give a decent quality of life, a clean and sustainable environment through application of some smart solutions. Assured water and electricity supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, robust IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen participation, safety and security of citizens. Public information, grievance redressal, electronic service delivery, citizens’ engagement, waste to energy & fuel, waste to compost, 100% treatment of waste water, smart meters & management, monitoring water quality, renewable source of energy, efficient energy and green building, smart parking, intelligent traffic management system”. 100 cities had to be selected for making these “Smart Cities”. Where do Srinagar and Jammu stand? Every state will have only one “Smart City”. In our case, the first tussle will be between the twin capitals. 

It will be a big boon if Srinagar is selected as one of the Cities. However, before one goes ahead, we will have to convert our people into “Smart People”. But before converting, the authorities will need to overhaul all the people and become them accountable. Not only the common people but all our administrators and managers. So let the concept of “Smart Cities” be modified to include the conversion of the city dwellers into “Smart People”. Otherwise, Srinagar instead of becoming a “Smart City” will continue to smart under the misdeeds of its managers, administrators and the people living there in.

And Quiet flows the Jhelum!

The River Jhelum also called Vitasta and in common Kashmiri Yveth, has been flowing quietly through the valley of Kashmir from the earliest times. It is considered to be the “River of Life” for Kashmir. Often one was reminded of the Mikhail Sholokhov’s novel “And quiet flows the Don”.

The main character in the novel, “Misha” travels all along the Don River through various upheavals and revolutions. Kashmir’s Jhelum has also been flowing quietly and has been characteristically a witness to all the revolutions and upheavals. Sometimes it has become angry in the past too and especially whenever subjected to desecration.

However, in September, 2014 it went totally crazy and went berserk virtually destroying not only the poshest localities of Srinagar but many rural areas also. However, the destructive behaviour of the River was a warning delivered with compassion as not many human lives were lost but property worth thousands of crores was destroyed. If one ponders on the calamity honestly, it dawns on one that we brought it on ourselves by our own actions. 

All these years we have not left any stone unturned in destroying the Rivers basins, water bodies, wetlands. We have vandalized its embankments by encroachment. Virtually we drove the River to commit suicide. It is said that if one fiddles with nature too much, it gives a terrible backlash. In spite of our all these ill doings the River has been merciful. We could have ended in a worse trauma with thousands of casualties. It has been reported that this was the worst flood in more than a century. 

As regards my personal experience, this was the worst trauma faced by me. Having lived in Jawahar Nagar for more than 50 years we never witnessed its flooding by Jhelum. The worst we had ever seen was water logging due to excessive rains or after a heavy snowfall. The couple of dewatering stations would clear it up in a matter of hours. Very rarely, it remained water logged for a day or two.

September, 2014 was a different story. It rained incessantly in the first week of September. It was virtually pouring everywhere and there were cloud bursts in the catchment areas. River Jhelum was in spate. People were all worried about the flood. The real story started on 6th September. The water level in Jhelum was hardly a couple of feet below the top of its embankments.

The same was the story of the flood spill over channel. In the evening of 6th September a cousin of mine living on the bund near Abdullah Bridge came to persuade her father living next door to us to move out but he refused. She told us also but we too stayed put. Jawahar Nagar had never been flooded. I slept as usual in the ground floor. Late in the night my younger brother told me that water was moving on the main road. We thought it is due to some seepage. At 3 am he came down again and said water was entering our lawns and quite fast. I immediately shifted to first floor. I took along only my two lap tops, passport, some important papers and medicine. By 8 am it started entering the house. It came fast and in a matter of an hour or so it came up to first floor and was still rising. We shifted to top hall called “Kani”. However, our relatives in the adjacent house implored us to move there as that was a concrete house only 20 years old. We made a temporary bridge with a wooden ladder and shifted there.

The water kept on rising and stopped only in the evening. There about 20 feet of water all round us. It was flowing like two fast streams on the roads in front and behind our house. All sorts of things were floating in the muddy water. 

Next day water had become almost static. In the evening it started receding very slowly. Till third day we did not see any rescuers. Only some helicopters were flying here and there. Some people in our neighbourhood were rescued but the helicopters had such a strong down draught that there were huge waves striking against already soaked houses. In fact the window panes of the hall of our house which we had left were shattered. Had we stayed there, we would all have been injured. 

We spent five days and nights marooned in the top floor of the house. It was feeling as if we were staying in a house boat! Luckily we had water in the overhead tank and some rations. But the scariest thing was the continuous boom of the collapsing house.

Finally, we were rescued by Army Engineers from the second floor of our house and taken “ashore” in a motorised assault craft. I lost everything I had collected for 50 odd years. Books, photographs, video and audio-cassettes, cameras and lot of other gadgets apart from clothes etc. My relations were surprised by my calmness and composure.

Well, I told them I am feeling absolutely free as I have nothing to lose now! What God had given me; He has taken back and freed me of all burdens. He will find ways to fulfil my needs as and when these arise! I wish, all of us have similar feelings and move ahead. Incidentally, other day I passed once again near the Jhelum River. As usual it was flowing very quietly as if nothing had happened!

Sustainable Tourism in Ladakh

Ladakh is popularly known as the moon land. The name has been given to this place because of its dramatic landscape resembling the lunar surface. In a number of places if a picture of an astronaut standing on a rock is taken, no one can say that it is not on the moon! There have been many other names given to this northern most region of the Indian sub-continent. In local language it is called, “La-Dwags”, the land of many passes. Some others have called it the Shangri La and still others have given it the name of land beyond the Himalaya. However, many people outside the sub-continent have the impression that Ladakh is some mysterious land in the high mountains inhabited by Buddhist monks only. On the contrary, Ladakh is a vast region almost a hundred thousand square kilometres in area representing about 70% area of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir, encompassing varied landscapes and many cultures, Buddhist, Muslim, and even animistic! The land is so barren and desolate that according to a saying only a dear friend or a serious enemy can come here! Population density is probably the lowest. It is said to be as low as one person in one square kilometre.
Ladakh was thrown open for Tourism in July, 1974. During the first year about 500 tourists, mostly foreigners visited the area. A lot has changed since Ladakh was thrown open for tourists about four decades back but the basic spirit and the magnetic attraction of the land and its people are still there. Tourist figures have grown from about 500 in 1974 the first year of its opening to almost two hundred thousand in recent years. Also initially, it were mostly the foreign tourists who were enchanted about this mysterious land but now the number of domestic tourists from various parts of the country far exceeds the foreign figures! Last year one hundred eighty one thousand tourists visited Ladakh. Foreigners were only fifty nine thousand No doubt such a massive influx of tourists gave a big boost to Ladakh’s economy but at the same time there have been negative fall outs too!
The most important consideration for development of a tourist area is “Peace”. Fortunately, Ladakh has most of the time enjoyed a peaceful atmosphere most of these years. Next come connectivity and infrastructure. Fortunately, Tourism has acted as a catalyst for improving the connectivity of the area. In earlier times, in the absence of air connectivity, Government employees used to consider their posting in Ladakh as exile! Now, people keep on visiting the place as often as they get a chance. The air connectivity has not only increased the number of tourists but has been a boon for the local population also.
After connectivity, the most important input is infrastructure. Ladakhis have been very positive and innovative in this regard. The paying guest accommodation also called “Home Stays” has been a pioneering activity in Ladakh. In fact, the UNDP has shown documentaries about the “Home Stays” of Ladakh in many countries. With the incentives from Tourism Department, this activity caught up all over Ladakh and is still very popular with tourists. After that many a hotels came up through local entrepreneurship. We have now even internationally starred accommodation with central heating. The tourist transport infrastructure has also improved a lot. Most wonderful thing about Ladakh Tourism is that the major entrepreneurs are the local people. Tourism has also helped in reducing unemployment. In fact, quite a few people have been giving up agricultural activities to join the Tourism sector.
There have been some negative fall outs also. The environment being very fragile is bound to be affected adversely with the influx of such a large number of tourists. Leh town used to have a population of about 15,000 or so. Now in summer the population must be more than 50,000 which may be putting a lot of pressure on the civic facilities. Similarly, the trails in mountains, new spots in some distant areas like Pangong, Tsomoriri, Nubra and so on do show some impact of the large influx. The Ladakh Hill Development Council has been doing excellent work in trying to safeguard the ecology and provide some civic facilities in different places. The environmental cess for these works is a positive step. Another aspect which shows a visible impact is the local culture. The local clothing is being replaced by modern outfits. Similarly, the food habit is undergoing changes leading to dependability on imports. The Ladakh Festival started some years back had given a boost to local culture. Various villages used to compete in producing different cultural programmes. During the festival days people would feel pride in wearing traditional costumes. The monasteries too were maintaining the traditional religious functions and events. Ladakh is probably the only place where one can see the real and living Tibetan Buddhist traditions. However, the sanctity of the worship needs to be protected. The monasteries should not allow hordes of tourists clicking away pictures during Puja.
Keeping in view the area, the traditions, and the vastness of the place even couple of hundred thousand tourists coming in an organised manner at different times will not have any adverse impact. However, one needs to remember that it is the quality of tourism and not the quantity which is important for the economy. One of the handicaps in attracting upper class international tourist is the lack of connectivity to international air routes. Leh can easily have foreign charters if the airport is upgraded and declared as an international airport. When many other tourist destinations can get hundreds of charters from abroad, why can’t Leh have the same especially from European countries and even from nearer locations in Central Asia.
In earlier times, Ladakh was an important landmark on the Silk Route. There is no difficulty in starting an Aerial Silk Route from here. Across the border foreign tourists have been flying straight from various foreign capitals to Samarqand and driving in luxury coaches on Karakoram Highway to Islamabad to fly back home. We could have a similar arrangement of flying into Leh from neighbouring Central Asian destinations and then driving to Srinagar or Manali to fly out. At the moment a number of groups are operating in reverse and flying out from Leh. Given the establishment of peace in the region, one could think of people driving in from Gilgit, Skardu and even Lahasa to Leh and then flying out. It may seem a utopian dream but it could materialise sometime in future! Let us hope that the Ladakh Tourism with the active co-operation of the local people progresses on right and responsible lines and remains sustainable with the preservation of its environment, ecology and culture.

Political “Dementia”!

Most of the politicians especially from the so called mainstream in Kashmir seem to be suffering from a severe memory loss medically known as “Dementia”!

Dementia means loss of memory. It is a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning. It occurs either due to a brain disease known as Alzheimer’s or due to senility of old age. In both cases, the loss of memory is often irreversible.
Usually, one first loses recent memory which is the ability to remember and recall things in immediate past and then with the severity of the disease, the remote or distant memory is also lost. It is also said that memories associated with traumatic incidents do not go away and remain etched in one’s sub-conscious mind.
Our politicians seem to be suffering from both the recent and the remote memory loss and also seem to have blank sub-conscious mind with no memories at all of all the traumas suffered by Kashmiris in the recent and the remote past!
The previous ruling set up spent 6 years reminding everyone that they are going to remove the draconian legislation AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act).
They passed into oblivion without even touching the fringes of the Act! They also kept on harping about the restoration of Autonomy while very conveniently forgetting the fact that they themselves had participated in its complete dilution leaving the name only on the statute book.
The Kashmiri part of the present dispensation started with the case of the immediate loss of an instance of the remote memory, the so called “Self-rule”! Right from their first tenure they had been suggesting a special formula for the final peaceful solution of the decades old Kashmir problem.
One of the constituents totally forgot about the “Achievable Nationhood” authored by him. They jumped into the Hindutva cauldron, lock, stock and barrel! The most recent memory loss has been about the trauma of the last September’s flood supposed to be the most disastrous in a century.
In fact, they had been continuously pleading for votes to keep the Hindutva extremists out of Kashmir. In an anti-climax they hugged the same on the plea that the only ways to rehabilitate the flood affected and restore the flood damages was to hug the devil in Delhi. Unfortunately, the bear hug did not yield any substantial benefits. On the contrary, they are being mauled by the Delhi bear from all sides.
The Hindutva partner, on the other hand, is not suffering from any dementia. In fact, they are every day reviving their recent and remote memories. In contrast to the Alliance understanding to keep the controversial issues on the back burner, they are raising these one after the other through their various front organisations.
The first issue raised just after the swearing of the Modi Government was about Article 370. The Minister in Prime Minister’s Office gave an interview that the process for scrapping the article had been initiated. Then the issue of the settlement of West Pakistan refugees of 1947 as J&K State subjects was raised. Feelers were set afloat about the return and settlement of Kashmiri Pandits in Israeli type secure settlements. Extension of the Central Statistical Law was also hinted at.
The final nail in the special status coffin was the Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court of India for scrapping Article 35-A. This was to remove the last barrier in displacing Kashmiris by settling outsiders and thus effecting a demographic change.
The most unfortunate part is that the people too are suffering from a severe strain of deliberate dementia. The typical example is the saying from the time of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad.

It is said that when Khrushchev the then Prime Minister of erstwhile USSR during his visit to Kashmir asked Bakshi Sahib as to how many Kashmiris were with him, he replied 40 lakhs. On being asked how many were with Sheikh Abdullah, Bakshi Sahib replied 40 lakhs. Finally, when Khrushchev asked what the population of Kashmir was, he was dumb founded on knowing it was 40 lakhs only! The story has been going on same lines since then.
If one goes by the crowds and processions each politician is able to manage, Bakshi Sahib’s prophetic saying is vindicated. The prime reason for such behaviour is supposed to be material greed and the dishonesty promoted and patronised by outsiders during last 68 years. However, it is also evident that the majority of the common people have been left high and dry. They are very much alienated from the local as well as outside politicians.
The alienation is starkly visible in the newer generation which is the product of the stormy nineties. Often it appears that the majority of elders is trapped in a whirlpool and is unable to get out of it. Ultimately, it may be the younger generation only which will cure the political dementia of both the politicians and the people. How soon that will happen is really a million dollar question!

“Kashmir First” for Kashmiris

The proposed talks between India and Pakistan have been cancelled because of Kashmir. Pakistan has insisted on “Kashmir First”. India on the other hand is saying “Terrorism First” even though it is internationally accepted that the main cause of the conflict between these two neighbours giving rise to “Terrorism” is Kashmir. One cannot overlook the fact, that for every Kashmiri, the most important thing at the moment is the “Kashmir First”. It is Kashmir which gives him his identity. Here, one recalls a saying about a blade of grass growing on a piece of land. It has been said that every blade of grass in the world has a piece of land in which it has its roots. It is from this piece of land that the blade of grass draws its nourishment and has an identity. Without that it becomes meaningless. Similarly, we too have our roots in the soil of Kashmir and draw our nourishment from it. Without Kashmir we will become just dried blades of grass tossed by winds from place to place!

At the present moment, the slogan “Kashmir First” has assumed tremendous importance in view of the onslaughts on Kashmir’s every aspect. For last 68 years Kashmir has faced onslaught culturally including slow and steady erosion of Kashmiri language. Kashmir’s environment has been vandalised under the garb of Tourism which is deliberately projected as the back bone of Kashmir’s economy even though it is not true. Traditionally and historically, Kashmir has an agriculture based economy. The greatest resource of Kashmir, the free flowing water has been virtually stolen by what the people are calling the new “East India Company”! These waters have been virtually divided as spoils of war by our two neighbours. That too with international backing!

All these years, money, material and blackmail have been used to subdue Kashmiris. Kashmir itself has been converted into a prison with almost one armed soldier looking after every five Kashmiris. Outwardly Kashmiris seem to have been subdued or appear helpless because of an army of collaborators from every section of the society. However, internally people are extremely alienated. Especially the youth, the new generation brought up in the turmoil of nineties. They are totally uncompromising and Kashmir’s only hope. As regards the leaders, the so called mainstream ones have been materially and morally corrupted through and through. The so called “popular” ones seem to have been paralysed by an endless internal bickering.

The Kashmiris have somehow managed to live on in spite of being made economically totally dependent on dole and subjected to repeated cultural and social assaults. However, now a physical assault is being unleashed to demographically displace them from the land where they been living from the earliest times. It started with the feelers for setting up of Panun Kashmir, a Kashmiri Pandit homeland in Pahalgam-Sonamarg area around the famous Amarnath pilgrimage. The first backlash was the Amarnath land transfer agitation of 2008 following which government had to hurriedly give up the idea. Next planned assault was the composite townships on the Israeli pattern. Again there was hue and cry which made the proposal go into limbo. Then suggestions were floated for settling ex-Army men in a Sainik Colony near Srinagar Airport. The latest attack has been mounted on Article 35-A to somehow allow outsiders to own land and property in Kashmir. Article 370 has already been under bombardment since its very introduction in the Indian constitution to guard special status of Kashmir. It has been used in practice as a tunnel to push in every Indian law to take away Kashmir’s special status which it was supposed to guard. The latest in this regard is the Central Statistical Law to allow gathering of information about state subjects by the Central Government directly. At the present moment only a hollow shell of 370 remains. In spite of that it is a psychological assurance that Kashmir has not been fully merged into the Indian Union.

Incidentally, within the state, the Jammu is always for “Jammu First”! It has grown to be a metropolis. This is because of its politicians, because of its bureaucrats and because of its people. In contrast, Kashmir has virtually sunk in every respect to the lowest depths because of its politicians, because of its bureaucrats and because of its people! If Kashmir is to be redeemed and saved, then every Kashmiri must adopt the maxim, “Kashmir First” in every aspect of life. Otherwise Kashmiris as a nation are doomed to oblivion.

E-Curfew

Aug 15 or Jan 26 - Kashmiris have to face E-Curfew every year twice

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File Photo

Kashmiris have become quite familiar and used to the word “Curfew”. The Cambridge dictionary defines “Curfew” as, “a rule by which everyone must stay at home between particular times, usually at night, especially during a war or period of political trouble”.

Imposition of curfew has become a normal routine in Kashmir which as per dictionary definition seems to be at war or in continuous political trouble. Many variation of this virtually physical imprisonment of the citizens in their homes have been evolved over a period of time. One is the “Undeclared Curfew”. This is imposition of restrictions on the movement of people without formally declaring a curfew. 

The more sophisticated nomenclature used for “Undeclared Curfew” is “Restrictions”! The authorities announce “Restrictions” for certain volatile area which in practice means imposition of “Curfew” without declaring it formally. Another derivative is “strict enforcement of section 144”!

This section 144 is a law banning assembly of four or more persons to prevent any protests or demonstrations. Once the authorities announce strict enforcement of the restrictions under this law, it virtually amounts to “Curfew” as people are not allowed to move even in ones or twos. 

From the peoples’ side too, a new addition has been made into the Cambridge dictionary. This is the word “Civil Curfew”! It means complete strike of all civilian establishments, transport and so on including total stoppage of movement of the common people on the roads. All these restrictions whether from the authorities or the popular leaders heading various movements are to restrict physical movement of people to prevent trouble or to register a protest? 

However, over the recent few years, a new type of restriction is being regularly imposed. This is the restriction on electronic waves. One may call it the “E-Curfew”!

On certain occasions such as the Independence Day (15th August) and Republic Day (26th January), all electronic waves are virtually imprisoned by the authorities. All mobile networks stop functioning and the internet is also blocked. The usual explanation is that the “anti-national elements” called “ANEs” in security jargon can utilise mobile signals to trigger remote explosive devices and also communicate with each other.

Here, it may be mentioned that the security authorities are using most sophisticated electronic jamming devices at all important function venues and all the VVIPs have mobile jammers worth crores of rupees always in tow with their convoys. It appears that the security agencies have no faith in their sophisticated electronic jamming devices and as a safe bet, they impose total “E-Curfew”. However, no one bothers about the negative fallout of such mindless restrictions. 

The most affected are the sick people requiring urgent medical advice or even evacuation to a hospital. With the massive introduction of mobile telephony, people have virtually forgotten about landlines which earlier used to be the only means of urgent communications. Apart from the health sector, the “E-Curfew” also drastically disrupts the “E-Commerce”!

The most affected is the banking sector. The trade and commerce which is these days totally dependent on internet too gets drastically affected. Sometimes even an electronic blackout of just a few hours can cause a loss of huge amounts of money to people involved in businesses connected with stock exchanges and share markets.

Incidentally, some of the Western Countries including the USA face more serious security threats from the most sophisticated operatives but they never impose “E-Curfew” as they probably have full faith in the protective devices and the men handling these. The same could be done here unless the devices have been purchased through a “Scam” which has become common place these days!

Tourism in correct perspective

Tourism obsession bordering on paranoia of some people requires putting the Tourism scenario of Kashmir in a realistic perspective

 

 As per news reports, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism, survey report indicates that Kashmir has the capacity to receive 3 crore tourists every year. It is very scary in the sense that 3 crore people trampling over the fragile environment of Kashmir would turn it into a garbage hell in no time. Amarnath Yatra is a living example of the threat posed by mass tourism to environment. Tourism is not counted by numbers or arrivals but by bed nights which reasonably paying tourists spend at a place. Tourism is universally acclaimed to be the biggest export industry. It is the largest foreign exchange earner for countries possessing varied tourist attractions. Tourists bring in large amounts of foreign exchange and take away only some souvenirs and lots of goodwill. Being service oriented, it is also an extensive job provider. However, Tourism has its negative side also!

Tourism as an appreciable economic activity started in Kashmir only after the entry permit system to the State was abolished. Till that time people entering or leaving the state had to obtain a permit. There was no mass movement of tourists and yatris as is happening now. Prior to 1947 Kashmir had remained a special preserve of the British Army Officers and their families. Gulmarg was their most sought after fashionable resort. House Boat on the River Jhelum was their introduction. The British wanted to build some guest houses for themselves but due to the State Subject Law they could not own any land. So they came in with the innovation of a house on water which did not require any land except a mooring ghat. Even for this a mooring ghat law was enacted. There were no boats on the lake. Only temporary permits were allowed for going through the lake. Moreover, all house-boats had dry toilets and there were no flush toilets emptying all the refuse in the lake or the river.
Thus the main clientele for Kashmiris prior to 1947 were the British and some other foreign travellers. However, Kashmir has been known as the most attractive leisure spot from the ancient times. Mughals enjoyed its beauty and it was in their time that the famous couplet, “If there is a Heaven on Earth, it is this, it is this, and it is this” got associated with Kashmir. Even in present times, as a tourist destination Kashmir has no parallel in the entire world. Kashmir has been bestowed by Nature with the most extensive potential for development of every kind of Tourism. Its unique environment makes it a “Heaven” for the leisure and pleasure loving tourist. The mountains, the forests, the meadows and the fast flowing mountain streams make it the ultimate destination for adventure tourism. A paradise in the bosom of the mighty Himalaya! Apart from dozens of summer resorts, Kashmir has the potential of setting up of a dozen world class ski resorts.
Historically, Kashmir has an agricultural based economy. More than 70% people are involved in agriculture and horticulture. Handicrafts come next and the main income even from this sector is from the exports and not from retail sales to the tourists visiting the valley. According to Export Promotion Council of India, the handicraft export, especially of the carpets grew manifold during the upheaval of nineties. Carpet looms spread into the rural areas and some of the local export houses started operating from Delhi. Same was the situation with horticulture especially the export of apples from the state. Hundreds of crores worth apples and some other fruit are exported from Kashmir to rest of India. Even some factories are exporting apple juice concentrate to Germany and some other countries.
There are no two opinions that with the possession of extensive potential, Tourism has tremendous possibilities of development in Kashmir.However, apart from the basic requirements of potential, physical accessibility, and infrastructure prescribed under the concepts of area development and physical planning for tourism, there is the most fundamental requirement of the political stability of the area. No one wants to go to an area which is proclaimed all over the world as the most dangerous place, Asia’s nuclear hot spot and so on. Every second day there is news all over the world about blasts, encounters, and other incidents regarding Kashmir. The most important primary consideration for a popular tourist spot is “Peace”! In view of this uncertain situation, the tourist arrivals show a swing effect. These keep on rising and falling from time to time. Sometimes there is a boon and supposedly a million tourists arrive while as other times there is a complete drought with hardly any arrivals. In view of this it is not advisable to make Tourism as the so called “backbone” of the economy. Such an economy can collapse with every upheaval. Tourism for the present can at best be an additional economic activity and not the main base. Once Kashmir enjoys the real and settled peace, Tourism can become one of the key activities for its economy.
In addition to a peaceful atmosphere, there are two other important elements most essential for development of international class tourism which can substantially contribute to the economy of a place. These are physical accessibility and infrastructure. To attract foreign tourism of higher class it is essential to be on the international air route map. Without direct international air connectivity, Kashmir has very little chance of becoming a world class tourist destination. It is a pity that in spite of the so called international airport we have no direct international flights. Even the surface connectivity is very tough and undependable due to sliding mountain terrain on way from Jammu to Srinagar. Historically the easiest, short and dependable surface connectivity to Kashmir has been along the Jhelum Valley Road. It should be reopened for international tourism. Regarding the infrastructure, there are hardly any staying places of the global standards. The power, the roads, the water supply, civic facilities like garbage disposal, drainage and so on leaves much to be desired. The capital city of Srinagar is not able to cope up with the local population, not to talk of international tourists. Accommodation such as five star hotels and surface transport comprising luxury cars, air-conditioned sight-seeing coaches too need to be supplemented in a big way. In this regard the fundamental requirement is to give a free hand to the private sector for developing the commercial side of tourism while the government should only undertake overall long and short term planning, incentive to private sector and regulation of the trade.
Next is a very important requirement, the attitude of the local people. Kashmiris are generally by tradition very hospitable and friendly. They welcome all guests who come in peace with love. However, what is important is the behaviour and attitude of the people directly in contact with the tourists. Even though as a whole all are appreciative of the treatment given by the people dealing directly with the tourists, yet there have been many instances of rude behaviour, pestering and cheating. One needs to remember that the good will of a thousand tourists gone back with happy memories is destroyed by a single unsatisfied tourist! There have been umpteen instances of tourists being mobbed, pestered, harassed and even cheated in some of the posh resorts like Gulmarg. In a number of cases, some tourists have gone back even without visiting these resorts. At one time travel agents and taxi operators had threatened to boycott Gulmarg because of the attitude of local ponywallas. The most unfortunate part is that the J & K State is the only state which has a very stringent legislation called the J & K Registration of Tourist Trade Act under which touting and pestering of tourists is a cognisable and non bailable offence. However, the enforcement of the law is virtually non-existent! Something needs to be done in this regard by the travel trade, the government and the people in general.

Finally it must be pointed out that Tourism is also related to local environment. In fact, in our case the natural environment is the primary factor for making Kashmir as the most sought after tourist destination. The natural landscape and the salubrious climate are our most important potential. These for us are the proverbial golden goose of tourism. However, it can continue to lay golden eggs only as long as we develop it in a sustainable way. Any attempt at overrunning the environment with crores of tourists is bound to kill the golden goose! Many a famous tourist destinations in the world have been destroyed by over development of the tourism product. Each area has a carrying capacity going beyond which it can suffer irreversible damage. The Government of India, Ministry of Tourism while declaring the possibility of Kashmir having over three crore tourists should also commission a team to determine the carrying capacity of our tourist areas so as to ensure sustainable tourism. Otherwise we may cause more damage than good. Here, it needs to be pointed out that our planners as well as politicians seem to be obsessed with tourism. One can ask why environment and infrastructure has to be considered only for tourists. It gives an impression that the local population does not count in regard to these important elements!
Thus taking a long term perspective view of Tourism, it emerges that it is an important economic activity. However, in the present context it is not advisable to make it the backbone of our economic activities. We should allow it to remain as an additional economic activity. We should also aim for sustainable development in this sector to preserve our fragile ecology and environment. It must also be ensured that Tourism is not politicised by making it a barometer of political normalcy. It would be advisable for the government and the travel trade to operate within these parameters till total peace returns to the state.