Itifaq Lone
DRASS: Taking into consideration the potential and market value of Wild Tulips, the administration has planned to promote Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) enterprises in Drass to improve the livelihood opportunities of entrepreneurs and start-ups.
Abundant wild tulips could be witnessed blooming in surrounding areas of Drass town, Mushkoh Valley, Manman meadows, and Mamaail area of Pandrass in Kargil district of Ladakh union territory in summer months of the year. These flowers have a life span of three to four weeks.
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.
Wild Tulips are endangered flower species in the world and could be found in only certain areas across the globe including in Drass valley, Kashmir valley in India. The Ladakh administration now has plans to promote wild tulips as a cash crop in Drass. Now with the move to promote these wildings, the flowers could be a major tourist attraction for domestic and foreign visitors.
One of the residents told The Earth News that promoting wild tulips would certainly provide livelihood to local youth by attracting tourist footfall in these areas boosting local business. “We needed LG to visit and witness Wild Tulips bloom so that these wildlings would be preserved and promoted subsequently,” he asserted adding, “MSME enterprise would be the best way to start within these local meadows of Kargil encouraging young generation.”
In this context, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) during his tour to Kargil visited Drass where areas where wild tulips grow.
He inquired about the potential of wild tulips as a cash crop with farmers and floriculturists from the village.
Like they were flagging the demand from time to time, the farmers and floriculturists yet again requested the LG for assistance in developing Wild Tulip Garden at Drass.
