'Jewel of India' makes a joke of tourism
Source: The Sangai Express

Ukhrul, March 02: Thanks to its scenic beauty, everyone, chiefly the State Government, talks about the immense tourism potential of Manipur, but a reality check has revealed that it is the Government of the State which is mainly responsible for the total absence of any tourism activities.

The state of the tourist health resort abandoned in all its glory just besides Imphal Hotel

Just sample this information, to get a feel of the real picture: Between 1992 and 2007, the Tourism Department dropped over 36 schemes/projects for infrastructural development, 13 projects have been abandoned midway work is underway for only twelve projects! During the course of an investigation conducted by The Sangai Express it came to light that tourism has failed to take off in the State due to faulty procedures and unwillingness of the Government to put their heart and soul to develop tourism industry.

To attract tourists both domestic as well as foreigners, the Tourism Department took up nine projects during the 1992-93 fiscal.

The projects included construction of tourist lodges, cafeteria and jetties with ample publicity stunt as well as a tourism festival.

However five of the projects were abandoned midway while another was dropped altogether.

In 1993-94, the Tourism Department took some projects including the construction of a tourism complex along with adequate publicity.

However three projects were dropped half way while in 1994-95 only publicity material were published.

The same story continued in 1995-96 when the Tourism Department took up 7 projects including publishing publicity literature only to drop two projects while another two were abandoned midway.

Three projects including tourism festival and construction of a health resort at Imphal was taken up in 1996-97.The health resort was left unfinished.

In the following fiscal, that is 1997-98, five projects were taken up but two were stopped midway while one was dropped.

In 1998-99 the eight projects taken up by the Tourism Department were all dropped together.

The dismal story continued in the next fiscal, 1999-2000, when out of the 10 projects taken up, seven were dropped while another one was left unfinished.

In 2000-01 all the 18 projects taken up were dropped.

Though the Government has maintained that 18 projects taken up from 2002 to 2007 are making progress, there is nothing on the ground to suggest that work is going on, much less progressing.

During the course of the probe , it came to light that the half cooked Imphal Health Resort to attract tourists has been turned into a garbage dump.

The health resort is located just behind Hotel Imphal and the unfinished work had cost a total of Rs 20 lakhs.

On the other hand it is learnt that the Government is intent on finishing the work of the health resort.

Since the State Government has not put forward any proposal to take up tourism projects in 2007-08, the Union Tourism Ministry has not sanctioned any fund for the same.

On the other hand officials of the State Tourism Department and the Union Tourism Ministry during a meeting in 2005 had agreed that 12 projects would be adjusted with the fund already released by the Centre earlier as well with the unfinished projects.

When The Sangai Express contacted an officer of the State Tourism Department on the failure to complete all the projects taken up earlier, the officer maintained that the primary reason is the delay in releasing the fund by the State Government.

To a question on whether interference from militants had derailed the process of completing the said projects, the officer replied in the negative and added since the fund allotted to the Department annually is only to the tune of about Rs 1.38 crores, the Minister concerned as well as the officers posted in the Department do not take keen interest.

The problem is further compounded by the fact that the tourist homes set up at Phubala, Sendra, Khongjom, Churachandpur, Moirang and Moreh are occupied by security forces, said the officer further.

A senior IAS officer, who at one point of time served as the Director of the Tourism Department told The Sangai Express that the most vital point in promoting tourism is coming up with the needed infrastructure.

The Indian Tourism Development Corporation should be urged to construct a five star hotel in Manipur, added the IAS officer.

The IAS officer further said that the law and order situation can be a deterrent in attracting potential tourists.

The restrictions imposed on the free entry of foreigners is also a dampener.

Talking about the law and order situation, the inflow of tourists has dropped in Jammu and Kashmir but not completely stopped, said the officer and stressed on the need of the people to be friendly, hospitable as well as sincere and honest while organising tours.

The State Bhawans located in other cities can organise tour programmes for potential tourists, he observed.