Dehradun, June 7 (IANS) Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat said on Sunday that tourist arrivals in the state this year have been below the expected level which has heavily impacted the hotel industry. He urged Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to grant some kind of relief package which can cover the losses of the hospitality sector.

Speaking to IANS, Harish Rawat said: “This is the period when tourism should have been at its peak, but tourist arrivals are not at the expected level. As a result, the hotel industry is being adversely affected.”

“In fact, I would urge the Chief Minister to provide some kind of small relief package, such as tax exemptions so that the hotel industry which is bearing the brunt of low tourism, is able to get some relief,” he added.

The Congress leader alleged that the current BJP government in the state has not made appropriate arrangements for the ongoing Char Dham Yatra.

“The arrangements for the Char Dham pilgrimage have already been disrupted. The state government itself seems unclear about which policy to follow,” Harish Rawat said.

The former Chief Minister added: “At times, it talks about carrying capacity; at other times, it keeps inviting more pilgrims. Sometimes it speaks of online bookings, and at other times, of offline bookings. There is no clear policy.”

However, in a previous interaction with IANS, Uttarakhand Minister Bharat Singh Chaudhary had said that this year more than the expected number of pilgrims have undertaken the Char Dham Yatra in the state.

He highlighted that an increased number of pilgrims have had a positive impact on the state’s tourism sector, contributing to greater employment opportunities for locals.

The Congress also claimed that the state administration has not made proper arrangements in view of the weather conditions.

Giving an example, Chaudhary said: “Even after light rainfall, houses and shops get flooded in Dehradun. Flooding is a major issue in several cities in the state. No measures have been taken for this.”

While reacting to the tragic fire incident in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, Harish Rawat said: “The incident is very painful. It should serve as a lesson for all states.”

He criticised Delhi Police for arresting the B&B facility chef instead of its Manager and involved authorities.

“They are trying to shift the blame onto the chef. Who is responsible for violating the guidelines and constructing 28 rooms, more than thrice what was allowed? And who is responsible for not adhering to the fire safety norms?” the former Chief Minister added.

–IANS

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