Vaishno Devi on Jammu hotels' turf

Employees of hotels and lodges in the Jammu region, besides those of other trades related to tourism, have expressed resentment at the Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board setting up lodging houses for pilgrims.

Describing the expansion of the shrine board's activities as "ill-advised", the employees under the banner of Tourist Trades Employees Federation said by setting up lodges for pilgrims, the board was posing "unhealthy" competition to the hotel and lodge business in Jammu region, which was already facing the chill winds of recession.

Besides the already constructed spacious lodges at Katra and Jammu, two more in Jammu are coming up.

According to the Federation President Mahesh Padha, these actions of the shrine board will adversely affect the interests of employees in private hotels and lodges, who are already fearing retrenchment due to very low occupancy. Already, some hotels in Jammu have closed down, leading to about 500 employees being thrown out of job.

"The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which is reputed to be a charitable organisation, should not exacerbate the problem of unemployment. It is observed that the shrine board employs people on the recommendations of influential people. The employees in the private hotels and lodges, who have a long experience of service but little academic qualification, will be the ultimate losers," Padha said.

Padha added, "The board should invest in roads and rest houses at other shrines in the vicinity of Katra and Jammu, so that tourism flourishes in the Jammu region as a whole."

Speaking on the occasion, Federation General Secretary K K Malhotra said there had been discrimination by the state and central governments against the Jammu region. He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's economic package of Rs 2,400 crore for the state must include tourism in the Jammu region.

"The Jammu region has shrines of all religions and many leisure and adventure tourism resorts. These must be developed and brought on the tourism map of the country. Around Jammu, there are many historical places and religious shrines, which need attention. Creating an artificial lake in the river Tawi will change the scene and make Jammu attractive," Malhotra said.

"We also demand that tourism-related trades in Jammu should be included in all the packages of incentives and concessions granted so far by the state and central governments, including the interest waiver on past loans and advance of fresh loans on easy terms. In the absence of this, Jammu hotels and lodges will face closure," he added.