Itifaq Lone
DRASS: In summer months of the year, surrounding areas of Drass town, Mushkoh Valley, Manman meadows here in Kargil district of Ladakh union territory witness gigantic blooming of wild tulips. Several areas of Drass valley are such places where these beautiful flowers bloom in abundance.
Wild tulips are a beautiful and rare flower that can be found in the high-altitude regions of Ladakh, but so far the wildly attractive flowers remain gypsy amid official apathy. Despite their beauty, wild tulips are not well-known as a tourist attraction in the region so far, but their present and yearly bloom seizes every sight.
As per the reports, Wild Tulips are endangered flower species in the world and could be found in only certain areas across the globe including Drass valley, Kashmir valley in India.
Multiple times, the people of Kargil, social activists, sportspersons, trekkers, and political activists have been appealing the UT administration and the concerned Tourism Department to promote wild tulips as tourist attraction, by at least setting up a Wild Tulip Garden in Drass.
One of the local Drass residents said that to promote wild tulips as a tourist attraction is to create awareness among the local population and tourists while holding social media campaigns, promotional videos, and informative posters since for the last 2-3 years the administration has been turning a blind eye towards wild tulips. “By highlighting the beauty and rarity of these wild flowers, people across the country and the world will be more inclined to visit to witness them in person,” he said.
Since wild tulips are a rare and endangered species, it is essential to conserve them to ensure their survival.
The government and local authorities should take measures to protect the natural habitat of these flowers and prevent any damage caused by human activity like freeing their livestock into blooming flowers, and building a fence around to protect these meadows, another resident said, and added that holding Tulip festivals would be a great way to promote wild tulips as a tourist attraction.
Another local said that Tour packages that include a visit to the wild tulip fields can be designed to attract tourists. These packages should include accommodation, transportation, and guided tours of the tulip fields across Drass valley. “Not relying solely on the UT administration, local communities of Drass, Mushkoo, Manman and other areas can play a vital role in promoting wild tulips as a tourist attraction,” he asserted.
The stunning photographs of wild tulips are making rounds on the social media sites, and Official Twitter Handle of Department of Tourism, Union Territory of Ladakh also re-tweeted one such post glamorising these flowers.
Despite several attempts, Administrative Secretary Tourism and Culture, Ladakh, Kacho Mehboob Ali Khan could not be reached for his comments.
‘Nothing can be more eye-catching’
Speaking to The Earth News, social worker Mohd Amin Polo who has been promoting polo and winter sports in Drass said wild tulips have been growing naturally for years here, and for the last 2-3 years they have been appealing to protect these sites and promote them as tourist destinations.
“We have appealed to LG Ladakh and Secretary Tourism regarding fencing the meadows but no action has been taken so far,” Polo said, adding, “The endangered wildflowers need to be protected, and promoted since what could be more attractive than these breath-taking views. These last only three to four weeks.”
He said that a fence around these sites would protect flowers from roaming livestock, wild animals, and would attract more domestic and foreign visitors into the Valley.
