Amir Khusrao once said, “If there is heaven on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this” while describing the region that is now known as Jammu & Kashmir and anybody who has visited this picturesque place, will agree. Adding to the long list of reasons, that make J&K a heavenly abode, is the upcoming bird festival. The Tourism and Forests and Wildlife Departments on Wednesday announced that it will be hosting the UT’s first bird festival, in association with the Mumbai-based Sanctuary Nature Foundation.
Pegged to promote sustainable ecotourism and give impetus to nature based alternative sources of livelihood to the local people, the news will surely bring excitement among bird watchers, lovers of nature and tourists alike!
Bird watching trails to be held across J&K!
A review meeting chaired by Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Sarmad Hafeez on Wednesday concluded with the announcement of the launch of J&K’s first ever bird festival. Tentatively scheduled to be held in Pahalgam and Dachigam areas, the celebrations of this first-of-its-kind festival will include bird watching sessions, awareness camps and conservation drives, opening new avenues to define Jammu & Kashmir’s beauty, like never before. In addition to that, several pre-festival bird-watching trails will be conducted all across J&K, for more than a month.
The Tourism and Culture Secretary termed that forests and wildlife important constituents of J&K’s tourism, while elaborating on the rationale of this drive. He further urged all concerned departments to adopt a synergised approach to preserve these facets, while putting the same on display of visitors.
Synergy to save the serenity
The Secretary called for the induction of Eco Clubs at schools and colleges, at tourist destinations to give a new dimension to this preservation drive. An integrated channel will be built, backed by education, to conduct wildlife conservation to protect the flora, fauna, life and beauty of ecologically fragile zones in the territory.
– with inputs from IANS
