DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand state tourism department has decided to reconsider all its contracts with Chinese companies, if any, across tourism development projects amid calls to boycott China.
State Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj has directed the tourism department officials to ‘make a list of all the projects in which China is involved in any manner.’
"I have issued instructions to senior officials of the department to make a list of projects involving Chinese companies or firms. We are going to review and reconsider their involvement in those projects," said the tourism minister.
This comes in the backdrop of the brutal Ladakh face-off with China wherein 20 Indian soldiers were killed last month.
Sources from the department told The New Indian Express that many Chinese firms have stakes in various projects in the state including ropeways, tourist destinations and other projects where raw materials are imported from China.
Replying to the queries on whether the state government or the state tourism department is mulling to put a blanket ban on all Chinese firms, products or imports, he said, "Once we get the list of projects then only we can decide what to do further."
Commenting on the border tussle between the two countries which resulted in bloody skirmish resulting martyrdom of 20 Indian Army soldiers and officers, the ministers, "Our Army is one of the bravest and mightiest armies in the world. If the Chinese think we can be subdued or bullied, they are living in a bubble. Our soldiers taught them a good lesson."
Hailing the Centre’s recent move of banning 59 Chinese mobile applications (apps) he said that the government of India took the right step.