Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday said the tourism industry is the growth engine of an economy for a hilly state like Arunachal Pradesh and the picturesque Ziro Valley has huge potential in the tourism industry provided the God-gifted inherent natural charm of the plateau is maintained in its pristine glory.
Stating that a road map for tourism in Ziro Valley was the need of the hour for holistic growth of the tourism industry, which will not only benefit the people of the valley but also the entire state, the Chief Minister urged the local people to maintain the pristine beauty of the valley.
“The wet rice cultivation fields along with fish cultivation are the main charm of Ziro Valley, which is unique and nowhere practised in other parts of the state.
Tourists come to see this unique feature, and hence, the people of Ziro should refrain from constructing dwelling houses and other commercial structures at the paddy fields,” he appealed.
Appreciating the pluralistic Apatani society for being the torch bearer in the state, showcasing support, cooperation, and a handholding system that had paved the way for producing so many bureaucrats and technocrats, Khandu said Ziro Valley had very limited land but was blessed with god-gifted natural beauty and was one of the most tourist-centric places of the state.
He strongly appealed to the Apatani civil society, the Tani Supung Dukung, NGOs, the Apatani Youth Association, panchayat leaders, and the District Administration to pool their resources and devise a solution to the rapidly increasing construction of structures at the WRC fields in the valley.
It may be mentioned that Lower Subansiri Deputy Commissioner Bamin Nime has repeatedly urged various public platforms to halt the increasing trend of filling up the WRC fields to construct dwellings and commercial houses.
“If this trend is not corrected timely and if the WRC fields of Ziro Valley vanish in course of time, the much-hyped tourism potential of the valley would be lost forever and Ziro Valley would remain just an ordinary town like others.”
The Chief Minister, out on an official tour to six districts, stopped at Ziro on his way to Daporijo and inaugurated the Tana Agyang View Point implemented by MGNREGA job card holders of Habung village.
Among others, local MLA and Agriculture Minister Tage Taki, MLA Laisam Simai, DC Bamin Nime, and the district heads of departments were present on the occasion.
