National Conference has welcomed the operations launched in Tosa Maidan by the Army to clear the meadow of unexploded shells and termed this as a much-needed, significant step in rehabilitating the Tosa Maidan meadow and surrounding areas as a premiere Tourism Destination in line with the best interests of the locals.National Conference spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu while speaking to a delegation of youth and college students from Beerwah, Khag and Khan said that National Conference had taken an unambiguous and principled stand on this issue and had categorically voiced its irrevocable and unquestionable opposition to the extension of the lease to the Artillery Range.“National Conference had taken a clear stand to oppose the extension of lease of Tosa Maidan to the Army as was clearly stated by Dr. Farooq Abdullah while addressing people in Khan in April. Also in line with Omar Abdullah's vision of people-friendly measures and governance, the State Government under the directives of NC Working President and Honorable Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had also constituted a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary to resolve this issue and look at effective, fast and people-friendly measures that need to be taken with immediate effect to provide relief and justice to the people who live in areas surrounding Tosa Maidan. It is a result of NC’s sustained efforts and especially those of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that today the way is being paved for the final relocation of the Artillery Firing Range”, the NC Spokesman said.
Speaking to the delegation of youth and college students from Khan and Beerwah, NC Spokesman said that National Conference has a vision of bringing Tosa Maidan, Khag, Beerwah and adjoining areas on the tourism map by creating modern tourism infrastructure and hospitality avenues in the area by facilitating local youth to become tourism entrepreneurs who would eventually create thousands of new jobs for the local population there.“We believe Tosa Maidan has great tourism potential along with adjoining areas of Drang, Zakhora, Pehjan, Donwar, Brari Pathar and Yanga Pathar. There is enormous tourism potential in Khag, Sukhnag, Nara Naag, Pushkar Nag and Gandhak Nag areas for environment friendly and ecological tourism. A relocation of the Tosa Maidan Artillery Range would give fillip to the Government’s plans to bring economic prosperity and employment avenues to these areas in the fields of Eco Tourism. The youth has to play an important role in these initiatives”, the NC Spokesman said while speaking to the delegation of youth and college students. (KNS)