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Published on : Saturday, January 16, 2021
Harsil valley, which has around eight villages, is located in Uttarkashi district near the Indo-China border. The district administration is charting a detailed plan which would be submitted shortly to the state tourism department.
In order to reduce migration from areas along the Indo-China border, the Uttarakhand government is working towards putting Harsil valley on the global tourism map. The valley has good prospective for wildlife and adventure tourism.
To quote Mayur Dixit, the district magistrate of Uttarkashi, “Harsil valley has a lot of potential for tourism, but due to poor connectivity not many tourists are able to reach there. Being a border area, tourism will help reduce migration and we are working to develop roads using local stones which will work throughout the year compared to blacktop roads. We have also planned to set up public toilets along with strictly ensuring that tourists do not litter in the area.”
He added that officials are also setting up a waste management plan for the area, and to handle the waste generated when tourists visit during the peak season. The district administration has also planned to set up homestays in higher reaches like Nelong Valley for paths leading to Gartang Gali, which opens during summer months.
“With tourism, employment opportunities develop naturally. We have nature and adventure guides in the valley who are knowledgeable. We will be installing lights like Nainital and Mussoorie to beautify the area. We have also planned to set up telescopes at different places for astrophiles as stars are visible clearly from the valley,” added the district magistrate.
Road development will start from the summer months as the entire area is snow-covered at the moment.
The Uttarakhand government is also working to develop the country’s first Snow Leopard Conservation Centre in the region, by engaging the local Himalayan community in conservation along with employment generation.
Locals from the bordering villages like Sukki, Mukhba, Harsil, Bagori, Dharali, Jhala, Jaspur and Purali will get trained as conservation guides for trekking and bird-watching, since they have good knowledge about flora and fauna of the region.
Tags: Harsil valley, Uttarakhand