‘Dry’ Gulmarg leaves tourists, ski enthusiasts dejected

Although Kashmir is almost halfway through its harshest 40-day winter period, “Chilla-i-Kalan”, no snow can bee seen on the Himalayan peaks and vast meadows dotted with pine trees and blue lakes. Popular tourist destination Gulmarg, which is generally snow-covered at this time of the year, is “dry and bleached”, bereft of any snow, leaving the tourists and people upset. There is also a fear that the lack of snow might affect the skiing trips of adventure tourists and winter sports “National winter games are being held between February 2 and 6,” Rehman said. “For the past 3-4 years we witnessed early snowfall, but this year it was not so and there has been no major snow spell,” he added.