Shortcoming of Ziro valley as tourist place Yachang Tacho Now-a-days tourism sector is considered as one of the largest industries all over the world. Government of India is also giving due importance to this sector. It is said that Arunachal Pradesh is having high potential to promote tourism. Does Govt. really take it up to promote tourism? Crores of rupees have been spent in organizing festivals like Arunachal festival at I.G Park, Siang River festival, summer festival etc. Does it do anything to promote tourism in the state which is still lagging far behind in infrastructure development for tourism? Who care for infrastructure development which is must for a state to promote tourism ?Who the tourist will visit when there is no tourist spots developed, no proper accommodation in districts, poor communication, improved law and order situation even in district HQ and Capital Complex etc. To be frank, Govt. does not try to achieve some of the preconditions necessary for promoting tourism nor does it care to build up infrastructure. Word ‘tourist potential’ remains just an ornament hanging around the neck of Arunachal Pradesh – nothing else.Ziro Valley, the district headquarter of Lower Subansiri district is considered as one of the tourist hot spots because of its rich cultural heritage, uniqueness in paddy-cum-fishy culture practice, tattooing system, scenic or aesthetic beauty of land, rich flora and fauna, pleasant climatic conditions and hospitable nature of people but not a single spot worth visiting for tourist are developed. There are many places or objects of legendary importance but are not cared. What to talk of development. In Sikkim, even small waterfalls are developed where thousand of visitors pour in every day. There are many waterfalls of the magnitude 10/20 times bigger than one developed in Sikkim in Arunachal Pradesh. Till today not a single waterfall has been developed.After my recent visit to Sikkim, I considered it as the best hill stations in North East India. Tourist inflow is very high. Here the question arises why tourist prefer Sikkim than to any other North East States – because people of Sikkim are well disciplined and hospitable in nature, effective traffic regulation, good management in all sectors. These are the first place welcoming gesture. With fulfillment of these pre-conditions, the tourists are attracted to Sikkim.Peoples over there are law abiding and cooperates govt. agencies whole heartedly in all the activities. Therefore, township areas in Sikkim are clean and hygienic. Just at the entry point to Sikkim at Rangpo check gate of West Bengal and Sikkim border, a signboard reads “In Sikkim use of plastic bags & littering of plastic wastes and materials is an offence. Fine upto Rs. 5000 and imprisonment upto 6 months – by order :-Rangpo Nagar Panchayat, Urban Local Body”. Local people follow the orders - so the tourists like us who visit there.In my few days of stay at Gangtok, it was learnt that there is no law & order problem like any other place in North East. Crime record is almost nil.One thing that I have experienced in Gangtok was the respect for visitors. To narrate one of the instances - ‘at an ATM booth I was in the queue in number three. The first in the queue was a tourist and next to him who was a local man. The fourth and fifth just behind me was also local citizen. After the first man used the ATM booth, the second person in his 50s seems older than my father asked me to use first. Accepting his offer, I availed. On my back I thanked him. He smiling said, “It’s our tradition. We do respect outsiders”. He went inside but I passed few words of gratitude for the person who offered me his turn. Facing to local citizens who were in the queue, I said, “I wish to be born in Sikkim”. One of them said smiling, “sir, you have to pray a lot to be born in Sikkim”.Going back to my hotel only I realized why tourist prefers to visit Sikkim. Unlike Ziro Valley, Gangtok is a hilly terrain but people considered it as worth visiting. At the most, it is for peace loving and hospitable nature of local citizen coupled with coruption less administration. For last many years, hundred of dignitaries and politician who visited the Ziro Valley passed comments - ‘Ziro Valley has tourist potentials’. Can it be turned tourist destination in reality? Do people like to accept it as tourist hot spot as remarked by the visitors? Can local people fulfill some of the basic pre-conditions?We can make Ziro a mini Sikkim or a tourist destination. First of all we have to change our mindset. Collective responsibilities of intellectual group, elected representatives, local self government, and district administration are needed in the process. Besides, every developmental scheme received from both centre and State Govts. for local area development is to be implemented properly and judiciously to give Ziro a newer look. Corruption, law & order problem, encroachment to govt. land, etc are to be checked and dealt with iron hand in order to make the Valley a tourist friendly. Disturbing on aesthetic views of the Valley is to be discouraged.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 04:31:01 +0000
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