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Sikkim Calls
(July, 2002)

          GANGTOK: For decades, tourism had been the only source of earning for a large number of people in this north-eastern state of Sikkim in the foothills of the Himalayas. Today the situation has changed. Tourist flow has declined. And the Government is frantically looking for ways to promote tourist activities.

           Deserted by the visitors are, among others, the serene waters of Changu lake just 40 km from Gangtok, Capital of Sikkim, which is the gateway to tourists in the region. The one km-long lake, located at a height of 12,400 feet, remains frozen through the winter months up to May. The flower plants around the lake come to life during the summer, and a variety of rhododendrums, premulas and poppies bloom, reflecting their vibrant colours in the placid waters.

Tsomgo lake

          To put the clock back, the Government is taking steps to preserve various species of plantsand animals. "We are protecting what we have, and gradually promoting, encouraging, and also increasing the number of rare species avaialable here. By virtue of this we are totally going into eco- tourism", said the minister for tourism. "What we have are the natural resources ... this is our wealth as far as tourism is concerned. People come to see mountains, lakes, rivers and the flora and fauna".

          But despite all the efforts of the State Government, the traffic of foreign tourists has not gone up in the past six months due to tension at the Indo-Pak border. The state's undulating hills and valleys make beautiful picture postcards, but they do not provide a good base for either industrial or agricultural growth.

           The 8598-metre high Himalayan mountain range, Kanchendzonga, the third highest peak in the world, lies in the north of Sikkim, which shares boundary with Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet on three sides. The country also has vast plains, middle age forts, thick forests and age-old temples, but attract only 0.2 per cent of tourists.

                                                              -ANI
                                                                                          

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