Action must continue

In a first of its kind, the tourism department has swung into action and blacklisted the service provider from undertaking any commercial activity besides initiating other criminal proceedings against the concerned unit holders. There were several complaints from the tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir, alleging over charging by the tourism players at the famous destinations including Srinagar. It is appreciable that the tourism department has finally woken up to take action against the persons involved in the overcharging and other related things. One fails to understand the delay occurred in acting against these persons, who are hell-bent to defame the hospitality of Kashmiris at the famous destinations where a huge rush of tourists, mostly from different parts of the country could be witnessed at the present juncture. However, it seems that the concerned department has finally decided to identify all those who are involved in such practices as in the statements issued today, it has stated that the department has constituted a Central Monitoring team comprising Deputy Director, Kashmir, Registration and Enforcement to randomly check the destinations to cross check strict following of prescribed rate lists and other SoPs notified. Separate monitoring teams have also been set up at all destinations comprising respective Resort Officers, representatives from Development Authorities and Tourist Police with a similar mandate. There is a need to ensure that the measures taken by the department would prove fruitful and the committee constituted must come up with the factual figure and that those involved are taken to the task so that the visitors don’t feel hardships during their tour in Jammu and Kashmir.