The hospitality industry in Manali has asked for complete restoration of traffic on Rohtang pass. The demand came even as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) granted partial relief to taxi and luxury coach operators plying in Manali-Rohtang Pass areas by staying environment compensation tax on the vehicles. At the same time, it has refused to relax the 1,000 vehicle limit to the scenic pass.
As the NGT gave 10-day respite to Rohtang bound tourists going from Manali, the tourists in Manali heaved a sigh of relief. Tourists, both domestic and foreigner, were condemning the imposition of exorbitant charges. Vehicles started making a beeline on Manali-Rohtang road since Saturday morning. Manali Hoteliers’ Association president Anup Thakur said that the partial restoration of traffic to Rohtang would not serve the ends of justice. He lamented that already irreparable damage to the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Industry had been caused, and prayed that the NGT should restore status quo.
“Would the amount collected by way of the new tax stop the environmental degradationIJ” he questioned. He said that the so-called environmentalists who did not know the topography of the valley were alleging that the glaciers were melting or carbon layers were gathering on snow, while the fact was that there were no glaciers in Rohtang.