Chief Minister Harish Rawat has made noted author Ruskin Bond the brand ambassador of the Mussoorie Winter line Carnival which would be organised every year. The CM made this announcement after ceremoniously inaugurating the Mussoorie Winterline Carnival 2014 by blowing a Ransingha at the Gandhi Chowk in Mussoorie on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the CM said that one of the days in the carnival should be fixed for performances by local aritistes. Rawat also said that it would be good for the environment if the residents of Mussoorie also start working towards the conservation of water. The government has made a plan for providing bonus for water conservation. The State Government has also approved various plans amounting to Rs 200 crore for Mussoorie.
Rawat said, “It is our right to celebrate the bounty of nature in Uttarakhand. The whole of Mussoorie should celebrate the carnival together so that the world gets to know that Uttarakhand is safe for visitors. The people of Mussoorie should work in team spirit to make the winter line carnival a success and facilitate an increase in the number of tourists visiting here,” said the CM.
Rawat pointed out that the disaster experienced last year had badly affected tourism in the State but with the efforts of the locals the government was working to make it known that Uttarakhand is safe for visitors. “One can clearly see the spirit of our people in Kedarnath, where about 500 persons are busy working on rebuilding of Kedarnath in -5 degree Celsius temperature. The spirit of these people gives us much reason for pride. Nature has given us bounties but has also presented challenges for us. The snowfall this year has been considerable but this has not dampened the enthusiasm of tourists. The State Government assures the visitors that Uttarakhand is safe for them,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, the State Tourism minister Dinesh Dhanai said that the Mussoorie Winter line Carnival is aimed at boosting tourism in the State. Exhorting the locals to support government efforts, the minister said that the local concerns will be taken care of. The Mussoorie municipality chairman Manmohan Singh Mall, MlA Ganesh Joshi and Dehradun district magistrate Chandresh Kumar also expressed their views on the occasion.