Announce package for houseboat industry: Soz to Lt Governor Sinha
Former Union Minister Prof Saifuddin Soz on Thursday urged Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to announce a financial package for the houseboat industry who have tremendously suffered due to the fall in tourists arrival in Kashmir valley and COVID-19 Pandemic.
“I feel extremely sad that Kashmir’s Traditional Houseboat Industry is facing bad conditions, the houseboat owners have got reduced to very bad economic conditions due to falling numbers of Domestic and Foreign Tourists with the Pandemic has further deepened their misery”. Soz said in a statement.
‘’I have approached the J&K State’s Lt. Governor Shri Manoj Sinha through a letter today, requesting him to please take notice of this ‘now-dilapidated’ industry’’,reads the statemnet.
Soz urged the Lt Governnor Sinha to take notice of this ‘now-dilapidated’ industry and announce a package for them.
“I have urged the Lt. Governor to sanction a package for this industry with a view to provide aid for reconstruction of the houseboats and financial help to houseboat owners”. Soz said.
“The industry has suffered heavily due to Covid-19 pandemic and reduction in the number of Domestic and Foreign visitors visiting Kashmir valley for sojourn”, Soz added.
He said he had requested Lt. Governor to invite the Houseboat Owners Association to know the plight of people directly or indirectly involved in this tourist sector.
I also expressed my hope that the Lt. Governor would initiate action, in this connection, at the earliest.”Soz added.
UNI QAB
