<p>Srinagar: Next time you plan to visit the famous tourist resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, be sure to leave all your tobacco products behind.</p><p>The Jammu and Kashmir administration recently declared Gulmarg, along with the neighboring Tangmarg town, a tobacco-free zone. For decades, Gulmarg had been synonymous with adventure, its snow-laden peaks attracting skiers from across the globe.</p>.J&K LG dismisses three employees over ‘terror links’; CM Omar Abdullah questions “arbitrary dismissals”.<p>The initiative, announced ahead of the 5th edition of Khelo India Winter Games, aims to foster a cleaner, healthier environment for tourists, athletes, and locals. The decision comes as part of the broader 'Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan', an ongoing campaign to reduce tobacco consumption and other substances across the region.</p><p>Deputy Commissioner Baramulla in an order said Gulmarg and neighbouring Tangmarg have been declared as 'Tobacco-Free Zones/Smoke-Free Tourist Areas'.</p><p>“Smoking and spitting of tobacco in these areas are strictly prohibited and will be treated as a punishable offense,” the order reads and has directed the Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gulmarg Development Authority and other officials to ensure its strict implementation.</p><p>An official said as part of the policy, law enforcement agencies will closely monitor the area, ensuring compliance with the new regulations.</p><p>The Khelo India Winter Games, one of India’s most anticipated sports events, is set to be held in Gulmarg in the last week of February and will feature ice skating, ice hockey, skiing, and snowboarding to attract participants and audiences nationwide.</p><p>Over 1,000 athletes from across the country are expected to compete in alpine skiing, nordic skiing, ski mountaineering, snowboarding, and snowshoe racing.</p><p>Gulmarg, meaning 'meadow of flowers', is a popular hill station and skiing destination, known for its scenic beauty and the world's highest golf course and is about 52 kilometers away from capital city Srinagar. Every year thousands of tourists from across the country and world visit Gulmarg.</p>
<p>Srinagar: Next time you plan to visit the famous tourist resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, be sure to leave all your tobacco products behind.</p><p>The Jammu and Kashmir administration recently declared Gulmarg, along with the neighboring Tangmarg town, a tobacco-free zone. For decades, Gulmarg had been synonymous with adventure, its snow-laden peaks attracting skiers from across the globe.</p>.J&K LG dismisses three employees over ‘terror links’; CM Omar Abdullah questions “arbitrary dismissals”.<p>The initiative, announced ahead of the 5th edition of Khelo India Winter Games, aims to foster a cleaner, healthier environment for tourists, athletes, and locals. The decision comes as part of the broader 'Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan', an ongoing campaign to reduce tobacco consumption and other substances across the region.</p><p>Deputy Commissioner Baramulla in an order said Gulmarg and neighbouring Tangmarg have been declared as 'Tobacco-Free Zones/Smoke-Free Tourist Areas'.</p><p>“Smoking and spitting of tobacco in these areas are strictly prohibited and will be treated as a punishable offense,” the order reads and has directed the Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gulmarg Development Authority and other officials to ensure its strict implementation.</p><p>An official said as part of the policy, law enforcement agencies will closely monitor the area, ensuring compliance with the new regulations.</p><p>The Khelo India Winter Games, one of India’s most anticipated sports events, is set to be held in Gulmarg in the last week of February and will feature ice skating, ice hockey, skiing, and snowboarding to attract participants and audiences nationwide.</p><p>Over 1,000 athletes from across the country are expected to compete in alpine skiing, nordic skiing, ski mountaineering, snowboarding, and snowshoe racing.</p><p>Gulmarg, meaning 'meadow of flowers', is a popular hill station and skiing destination, known for its scenic beauty and the world's highest golf course and is about 52 kilometers away from capital city Srinagar. Every year thousands of tourists from across the country and world visit Gulmarg.</p>