Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan, today visited Mansar Lake to take stock of ongoing development activities being carried out by the government for improving tourism infrastructure in the Lake to attract massive tourist influx.Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Indu Chib and Chief Executive Officer, Surinsar Mannsar Development Authority (SMDA), Dr Gurvinder Singh briefed the Advisor about the ongoing development works being executed for beautification of historic lake and surrounding areas. They also apprised him of physical and financial achievement recorded, so far.Advisor was informed about the measures being initiated for development of the region including modernization of children amusement park, musical fountains, winter sports game-splash pools, sound and light system around the periphery of lake, development of Manwal meditation centre, boats, log huts and related steps through power point presentation.Advisor issued instructions to CEO SMDA to initiate the process for engaging 2 to 3 deep divers, preferably locals, for rescue operations. He directed the senior officers of concerned department to maintain proper registration of all rehris working around the Lake and closely monitor and check quality of products being sold by them. He also asked them for launching special drive to stop encroachments in the area. He further directed them to launch cleanliness drive with active involvement of PRIs and locals for ensuring proper cleanliness in and around the lake so that the tourists could not face any inconvenience in this regard.Advisor impressed upon Jal Shakti and Surinsar Mansar Development Authority to ensure availability of safe drinking water facilities for pilgrims and tourists at Mansar through tap water. He also directed to ensure proper lighting in parks and tracks surrounding the lake besides exploring options for installation of CCTVs there.Advisor also directed the Executive Engineer, Tourism Department, to deploy requisite staff for identification of land for developing various facilities envisaged in the ongoing mega development project. Advisor asked the Executive Engineer to ensure employment avenues for locals in the Mansar project besides making sure signages and hoarding of Mansar at Lakhanpur and Mansar Morh along with other important locations.Advisor interacted with the PRIs and locals to assess the added development needs of the area.Advisor asked the concerned officers to conduct a survey regarding construction of road from Jammu to Mansar which could shorten and ease the travel time between the two destinations. Earlier, Advisor visited Hanuman Temple and prayed for peace, prosperity and development of JKUT. He also asked the concerned officers to take necessary steps for further renovation of temples situated at Mansar.Among others, Chairman Block Development Council Majalta, Dina Nath, Assistant Commissioner Development, Udhampur, Mushtaq Choudhary, Wildlife Range Officer Mansar, Sanjeev Kumar, Sarpanch Mansar, SE PDD, Tehsildar Majalta, BDO Mansar, Executive Engineer SMDA and other officers and officials of concerned departments were present on the occasion.
