Kashmir Reader: Srinagar: Wednesday,
January 25, 2017.
Tosamaidan
Bachao Front (TBF), an amalgam which spearheaded a campaign to retrieve the
Tosamaidan meadow from army on Tuesday thanked the government for declaring it
as tourism development authority but sought compensation for the victims who
were left physically challenged in the firing range.
In a statement, TBF founder and chief patron
Dr Shaikh Ghulam Rasool said in
Tosamaidan the community driven adventure and rural tourism (CDART) can be
nourished when basic right to life is
ensured in the Valley.
He said the demands put forth by TBF from consist of setting-up
of an independent development authority apart from demands such as compensating
widows, disabled and overall community. “Development authority is merely an
eye-wash if compensation component is ignored,” said TBF program coordinator
Nazir Ahmed Lone.
He said spirit of CDAR tourism lies in the
community itself and for that the demands are
compensation to the victims & community to be ensured before the
formation of tosamaidan development authority, community must solely comprise
the formation and functioning of the authority and assets declaration of the
officials who will be appointed in TDA from government side, Ecology and
Environment to be treated as the priority and
Proactive disclosure under Section-4 of J&K RTI Act of tourism
department.