Heavy Rain And Advisory From NDMA To Stay Away Decreases Tourists Footfall In Places Like Patnitop, Sanasar, Bhaderwah

By Amir Tantray

Jammu: With heavy rain lashing most of the areas in the Jammu region for the last month and after cloudbursts triggered flashfloods in Kishtwar, Kathua and Poonch districts, it has decreased the footfall of tourists in places like Patnitop, Sanasar, Bhaderwah, Sarthal and other areas.

The warning being issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at regular intervals is also keeping the people at bay.

On Saturday also an advisory from the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Disaster Management Authority (JKUTDMA) asked people to stay away from water bodies and not venture out unnecessarily. "Heavy rain is most likely to occur at many places over Anantnag, Kulgam, Doda, Jammu, Kathua, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Udhampur and Samba districts in the next 48 hours. The possibility of cloudburst, flash flood and landslide is in the Jammu division. Stay alert," reads the advisory from JKUTDMA.

The advisory covered all 10 districts of the Jammu region, which has forced the people not to make any plans to move out.

"We were planning to spend the weekend at Sanasar and Patnitop, but had to cancel the programme owing to the forecast of heavy rain and advisory issued by the JKUTDMA. It is better to spend time with family at home and stay inside without putting lives at risk," claimed Nasir Hussain, a resident of Doda.

In summer, during the weekend, hill stations like Bhaderwah, Patnitop, Sanasar, Sarthal and other areas used to receive a big number of visitors and availability of rooms used to be limited, but this time hoteliers are waiting for the customers and even on the weekends, not many people are visiting these areas.

Talking to ETV Bharat, General Manager of Vardaan Resorts Patnitop, Rajesh Thakur said, "The bad weather, followed by cloudburst incidents in Kishtwar and Kathua districts and advisory being issued by the JKUTDMA are keeping tourists away from tourist places. It has been absolutely safe here in Patnitop, but still, people are not turning up."

Administration of different districts has also issued guidelines to people not to venture out near the water bodies and hilly areas due to the chances of heavy rain, which could become fatal at times. In the Doda district, the administration restricted the number of people participating in the annual Kailash Kund yatra on the upper reaches of Bhaderwah. The pilgrimage was cut short for a couple of days, and only 15 to 20 people were allowed to reach Kailash Kund.

"It is obvious that when advisories are issued not to venture out, it is having an impact on the footfall of tourists as well," Muhammad Ilyas, Deputy Commissioner Ramban, told ETV Bharat.

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