‘Jashan-e-Chillai Kalan futile exercise, wastage of money’

At a time when the tourist arrivals in Kashmir have come down to the lowest ebb in the wake of September devastating floods, Tourism department’s Jashan-e-Chilai Kalan has evoked sharp criticism from the stakeholders who call it a “futile exercise” and “wastage of public money.”
According to Tourism department it is celebrating three-day Jashan-e-Chillai Kalan to promote tourism.
However, the tourism traders counter the department’s claim questioning that in winter at this time when there is hardly any tourist in Kashmir what is the purpose of holding this event? “This is a futile exercise and wastage of public money which is going to yield nothing,” they believe.
Talking to Greater Kashmir Chairman, Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), Showkat Chowdary said the event would have some meaning had the tourism department organized it outside the state from where the tourists come to Kashmir.
“I fail to understand the purpose of organizing such an event when people in Kashmir are yet to recover from the impact of the devastating floods,” Chowdhary who is also the president of Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association, exclaimed.
Interestingly in Kashmir post-floods the tourist arrivals have nosedived to the lowest ebb with majority of the hotels and guesthouses lying vacant.  As a result of which the tourism traders have been urging the state government to organize massive promotional activities outside Kashmir in order to woo backpackers.
“We need publicity outside the state not in Kashmir,” Chairman JK Hoteliers Club, Mushtaq Chaya, said.
“Instead of wasting the public money on such an event in Kashmir, the department would have done well to organize it at some places outside the state from where tourists come to Kashmir,” he said.
President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kashmir, Zahoor Ahmad Trumboo said: “Celebrating Chillai Kalan at this moment is tantamount to rubbing salt on the wounds of thousands of shelter less people in Kashmir who have lost everything to the floods.”
“What is the fun of celebrating Chillai Kalan in Kashmir when everybody here knows what it is?” chairman Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Alliance, Faiz Bakshi said adding that they (the tourism department) must do away with such wasteful exercises.
To mention, Jashan-e-Chillai Kalan which was kick started on Monday at SKICC here has evoked criticism from Hurriyat Conference also.
Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani on Monday said there was no justification for celebrating Chilay Kalan when thousands of flood-hit people were spending their nights in tents after their houses were destroyed by September floods.
“Thousands of people, whose houses were damaged in floods, are still homeless. Ironically, instead of extending helping hand to them, the authorities are spending lakhs of rupees on futile events like Jaishn-e-Chilay Kalan and laser cracker show in Gulmarg. The money spent on the events could have been utilized for rehabilitation of many flood victims,” Geelani had said.
“The so-called government disappeared during the floods. Valiant youth of Kashmir saved thousands of lives by launching rescue and relief operations. Pro-India leaders and their agents in Kashmir promised to rehabilitate the affected people but all turned out to be a hoax when elections were announced in the state,” he had said.
Meanwhile, chairperson of Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Syeda Asiya Andrabi also criticized holding of Jashan-e-Chillai Kalan.