The picturesque Dal Lake in Srinagar is usually dotted with shikaras - a gondola-type light rowing boat - that are emblematic of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. With the tourist season taking a major beating because of the pandemic, the union territory's administration distributed food kits among the 200 needy shikarawallas hailing from Dal Lake and nearby areas. The event was organised by a tourist trade group-Nigeen Tourist Trade Association (NTTA) in collaboration with an NGO here at Zabarwan Park, Boulevard in Srinagar. 

Director Tourism G N Itoo hoped that more such organisations and NGOs would come forward and reach out to the needy people for relief distribution during the current crisis.

He said said the J&K Tourism Department in collaboration with the health department also launched a vigorous vaccination campaign among the people associated with the travel and hospitality sector so that they are protected from the deadly virus and hoped that the COVID situation improves so that economic activities also resume.

He also disbursed around Rs 12 crore relief as announced by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha among the eligible beneficiaries including shikarawallas, tourist guides, pony wallas, houseboat workers and other tourism stakeholders who had suffered due to the pandemic. 

He said in the coming days the Department was planning to host a capacity-building workshop for the members of tourist trade to familiarize them about doing business in the post COVID scenario.(SAM)