Altaf lays foundation stone of Rs.42 lakh Eco-friendly Hung Park

SONAMARG: Minister for Forests, Ecology and Wildlife, Mian Altaf today said that Government has initiated several measures to promote tourism in the State and creating infrastructure facilities will boost the tourism potential of the State.
The Minister was speaking while laying foundation stone of Eco-Friendly Park at Hung, Sonamarg on Srinagar-Leh Highway.
The Minister was informed that the Park would be developed by the Forest Department at the cost of Rs.42 lakhs and has been funded by Sonamarg Development Authority. He was told that Rs.13 lakh have been expended for leveling and other ground works so far and would be completed by May, 2012.
The Minister said that successful tourist season and a record number of visitors to the Valley which is bestowed with natural beauty after a long gap largely helped economic betterment of the people of the State. He said the Government has already taken a number of steps to boost adventure tourism, attracting more and more tourists of national and International level, by way of constructing of world class tourist infrastructure in shape of Restaurants, better road connectivity, transport facilities, besides shelter sheds and viewpoints.
Later, The Minister inaugurated newly built Eco-Restaurant at Gandibal, Sonamarg built at the cost of Rs 25 lakh by Sonamarg Development Authority. He was informed that eco-friendly Restaurant has been constructed under the CSS for Development of Eco-Friendly resort between Nilgrain and Sarbal. He was also told that the total cost of the project has been Rs. 242 lakhs.
The Minister directed the authorities for augmentation of the Park by way of providing of shelter sheds, open restaurants and P.C. Blocks.
Referring a huge flow of the tourists visited this year to the State, he said this resulted in a substantial earning by the people directly and indirectly associated with tourism sector. He said, efforts are on to explore the other hidden tourist places, who are not yet on the tourist map for nature loving people.
Mr. Altaf asked the people to come forward and took benefits of a number of employment generating schemes launched by the State Government like MGNERGA, PMGSY and other such schemes presently under execution in the State. He said that PMGSY not only provided livelihood to the poor, downtrodden living in the far flung areas but this scheme had also been a beneficial for connecting hundred’s of villages with towns and cities.
The Minister was accompanied by Conservator of Forests, Srinagar Circle, Divisional Forest Officer, Ganderbal, Mr. Hafiz Ullah Mir, Chief Executive Officer, Sonamarg Development Authority, Mr. Mohammad Yousuf Bhat and a large number of concerned officers and officials.