Srinagar, Jan 06 (KNS): Chairman People's Democratic Front (PDF) Hakeem Yaseen has sought review of the decision to declare massive chunk of prime land in world famous tourist destinations of Gulmarg and Sonamarg as “strategic areas for the use of Armed forces activities. 

He has urged the government to identify alternate land for army strategic area which should be away from human settlements and tourist places, so that tourist activities are not effected.

In a statement issued to KNS, Hakeem Yaseen while seeking roll back of the government decision to allocate 1388 kanals of prime land in Gulmarg and Sonamarg as strategic areas, said that the decision was totally unwise and against the basic concept of tourism promotion in Kashmir. He has urged the government to review its decision to 'declare' 1034 kanals of land at the world famous Gulmarg and 354 kanals in Sonmarg tourist destinations as “strategic areas” for the use of armed forces". Apparently, there seems to be no need to bring more land as strategic areas, as there was already a lot of land with the army for normal artillery exercises. "PDF Chairman observed while urging the government to identify alternate places as strategic areas where there will be minimum public movement and away from tourist places to avoid any casualty due to artillery exercises by the armed forces. 

Hakeem Yaseen has hoped that the government, keeping in view the concerns of people in general and stakeholders of tourism industry in particular, would review its decision to declare land in Gulmarg and Sonamarg as army strategic areas. (KNS)