172. Short Essay and Article on : Tourism and Terrorism

You happened to overhear the following conversation:

Rahul: Where have you planned to go during the summer holidays?

Jeevan: I wish I could go and enjoy boating on the Dal Lake.

Rahul: Is it safe to go to Kashmir now? Don’t you hear a lot about terrorism in the newspapers?

On hearing this dialogue you decide to write an article for a local daily on the need to provide security at tourist spots and suggest ways and means by which such spots could be made more attractive to tourists. Using ideas from the unit on ‘Travel and Tourism’ along with your own ideas, write the article.

Ans. Tourism and Terrorism

—Shefali

Kashmir is called the ‘Paradise on Earth’. It is quite unfortunate that this paradise is living in the shadow of terrorism. The peace and tranquillity of the valley have been shattered by the acts of terrorism. The valley echoes with the bursts of bullets. Gone are the days when the Dal Lake was overtaken by the inflow of tourists from different parts of the world. Now empty hotels and unoccupied shikaras look towards tourists to occupy them. Tourism in the valley is in shambles. The biggest source of income to the state and the local people has disappeared. The unabated terrorism of the two decades has tarnished the grandeur and glory of Kashmir. Tourism and terrorism can’t go together. Law and order must be restored. The youth of Kashmir and other places of tourist interest have the biggest stake to maintain peace and harmony. Local handicrafts and artefacts are in great demand in every part of India. If peace and order a. are maintained, Kashmir will not take long to attain its old grandeur and glory.