Himachal news: At US event, Dy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania advocates for eco-tourism

Delivering a guest speech during the National Conference of State Legislatures Summit in Boston, USA, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania has highlighted the measures being adopted to transform the state’s future through tourism.

Stating that tourism must serve the people as well as the planet, Pathania said the government was re-imaging the state’s future in regards to green development, advanced healthcare and inclusive growth.

He said the small Dharamsala Assembly constituency was heading towards becoming the tourism capital of the state. “The region has enough prospects for water tourism in Pong Dam. Besides, there is enough scope for development of trekking facilities in the Dhauladhar ranges,” he added, stating that Gobind Sagar Lake had become a hub of water-sport activities such as kayaking.

To promote eco-tourism, the government was mulling the development of ropeways, and discouraging the cutting of mountains for developing four-lanes, he said.

The government was focusing on tunnels and ropeways to minimise unfavourable impact on nature due to the ever-growing development activity, he added.

“The Himalayas are under severe stress due to climate change, as glaciers in the region are retreating 15-20 m annually — threatening water security in times to come. The number of cloudbursts and flash floods has increased tremendously, and forest fires are posing a threat to biodiversity. The only solution is promoting eco-tourism, as it is not just a revenue generation model but a much-needed climate action,” he said.

MLAs Sanjay Awasthi, Vinod Sultanpuri and Deep Raj also participated in the discussions.