Hooda roots for Jammu and Kashmir

Chandigarh, July 17 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today called upon the people, especially the nature-lovers, to visit Leh and Ladakh to enjoy the natural beauty of Jammu and Kashmir state.

These views were expressed by the Haryana Chief Minister after visiting a four-day photographic exhibition of a bike expedition to Leh and Ladakh put up by the Spiritual, Artistic and Humanitarian Adventure Society in the Government Museum and Art Gallery here.

The Chief Minister said that he had also visited Leh and Ladakh and had seen the natural beauty of these places. He remarked in the exhibition book "there is no price for passion for nature.

Mr. Hooda evinced his keen interest in the photographs displayed in the exhibition which included 135 km long Pangong TSO Lake spreading over 40 km in India and 95 km in China. He also appreciated the picture of Nugra Valley having sand-dunes on the height of 14,000 feet and two humped camels specially imported from Turkrnistan in the medieval times.

President of Spiritual, Artistic and Humanitarian Adventure Society, Mr. V.S. Kundu told the Chief Minister that a six-member bike expedition visited Leh and Ladakh and covered a distance of about 3000 kms. during a period of 16 days and they had to face a lot of difficulties during this adventurous bike journey.

Besides Mr Kundu, the team included Ms. Manpreet Grover, Mr.

Sumeet Sheokand, Mr. Amit Sheokand, Ms. Varnika Kundu and Ms.

Satvika Kundu.

Mr. Kundu said that the aim of the bike expedition exhibition was to apprise the people of Chandigarh about the beauty of Leh and Ladakh and to inspire them to enjoy the bounties of nature prevailing in the valleys of Jammu and Kashmir, famed as ''the paradise on earth.'' The exhibition highlighted the natural beauty of the valley with photographs of beautiful flowers, the sculpted land near Leh and Pangong TSO lake shared by India and China, the multi-hued sky and 300-year-old Hemis Monastery winning special attention and praise from visitors.

UNI