On the direction of Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed given during the recently held District Development Board meeting in Doda, Minister for Forest , Social welfare, Ecology and Environment, Bali Bhagat along with Minister for Science and Technology and Animal Husbandry, Sajad Gani Lone, yesterday visited Padri area of Bhaderwah Tehsil to look into possibilities of developing way side facilities along the Bhaderwah-Chamba road.The area has great tourism potential which can attract tourists from Himachal Pradesh and development of tourist infrastructure in major tourist destinations will take the district tourist profile to new highs”, the ministers maintained.
Enroute, Ministers identified various spots suitable for developing way side facilities from Nalthi to Padri and directed the concerned forest officers to prepare the revenue papers of the identified sites so that work on these facilities could be started at the earliest.The Ministers visited Padri Gali lake, situated close to Himachal borders, and directed the concerned officers of R&B, Forest and Tourism Department to explore possibilities for developing a guest houses and others facilities for convenience of the tourists at Padre and other places.Meanwhile, various deputations called on Ministers and apprised them of difficulties being faced by Manimahesh yatris due to shortage of timber during their stay at Padri and enroute Manimesh.MLAs Daleep Singh Parihar and Shakti Raj Parihar, Deputy Commissioner Doda, Bhupinder Kumar, SSP Doda, Z. N Manhas besides senior officers of R&B, Tourism and Forest department accompanied the Ministers during the tour.