16 hrs ago
Bengal Plans New Homestay Policy After Sittong Fire
West Bengal wants to make homestays safer and better regulated.
Homestays are places where tourists stay in private homes or small lodging facilities.
The government ordered checks in Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
Officials will find out which homestays are registered.
They will also check whether guest details are recorded correctly.
The checks began after a barbecue fire at a homestay in Sittong injured a woman tourist on September 20.
The state is preparing a new homestay policy and an online registration system.
Officials also discussed other tourism plans for the Darjeeling hills.
West Bengal is preparing a new policy to strengthen homestay regulations, especially in the hills.
Darjeeling and Kalimpong district administrations must assess homestays operating under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.
The state is introducing an online registration system for homestays across Bengal.
The review follows a September 20 barbecue fire at a Sittong homestay that injured a woman tourist.
Officials will verify homestay registration and whether guest identity records are being properly maintained.
- Who
- West Bengal’s tourism department, the Darjeeling and Kalimpong district administrations, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, and state ministers Shankar Ghosh and Bishal Lama.
- What
- The state is reviewing homestays, preparing a new tourism policy, and introducing online registration.
- Where
- Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, particularly areas under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in the Darjeeling hills.
- When
- The directive followed a September 20 fire; the policy proposal is expected to receive approval soon.
- Why
- The government wants stronger regulation after a homestay fire and concerns about registration and guest identity records.
Key facts
- New policy
- A proposed homestay tourism policy would strengthen regulations, particularly in the hills.
- District review
- Darjeeling and Kalimpong administrations were asked to submit detailed ground-zero reports.
- Online system
- The tourism department is introducing online homestay registration across Bengal.
- Incident
- A barbecue fire at a Sittong homestay on September 20 injured a woman tourist.
- Kalimpong homestays
- Around 1,180 facilities are reportedly operating in Kalimpong district.
- Compliance checks
- Officials will verify facility registration and guest identity records.
- Related tourism plans
- Five ropeway routes, cultural programmes, adventure tourism, and destination promotion were discussed.
Quotes
Shankar Ghosh
West Bengal tourism minister
“We have asked the district administrations to verify whether all homestays are maintaining guest registration records and whether the facilities themselves are properly registered. I have also requested the MoS (hill affairs) minister (Lama) to look into the matter.”
telegraphindia.com
“After the recent incident at a homestay in Sittong, I have asked the district magistrates of Darjeeling and Kalimpong to submit a detailed ground-zero report on the homestay facilities currently operating in the two districts.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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