"Matter of concern": LoP Jairam Thakur on Court's order to shut down 18 HPTD hotels

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 22 (ANI): Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Jairam Thakur, on Thursday expressed concern over the High Court's decision to close 18 hotels operated by the state's tourism development corporation.
The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader claimed that the financial condition of the tourism department was better even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I am curious about the Himachal Pradesh High Court's order to close these hotels. During the pandemic, the tourism department's condition was better than it is now. What's worrying is that the state government is calling certain people and handing over some hotels to them," Thakur told ANI.
He further alleged, "The state government is preparing to hand over these hotels to private entities. This is a serious matter for Himachal Pradesh."
Meanwhile, Principal Media Advisor to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Naresh Chauhan, accused the BJP of running a deliberate campaign to malign the Congress-led government in the state.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Chauhan alleged that the opposition is politicising various issues as part of a larger conspiracy, particularly in the wake of the High Court's recent decision.
Speaking about the court's order, Chauhan acknowledged the judgment and announced that the state government had formed a committee to assess the situation and recommend corrective measures.
Criticising the previous BJP government, Chauhan said, "The Jairam Thakur-led government had earlier proposed leasing or selling 16 tourism properties. This raises questions about their intentions. Were these assets genuinely meant for development, or were they being used for party funding? We will conduct a thorough investigation into this matter."
The Himachal Pradesh High Court, on Tuesday, directed the closure of 18 hotels run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC). The order was issued following a petition filed by an HPTDC employee. The court observed that HPTDC has repeatedly stated its unsustainable financial condition, with the petition highlighting its inability to clear pending dues to employees. (ANI)