Chapter -1- Introduction 1. Introduction to Uttarakhand State 1.1History of Uttarakhand 1.2 Geography of Uttarakhand 1.3 Demographic Profile of the State: 1.4 Government and Politics 1.5 Districts and Important Places of Uttarakhand 1.6 Infrastructure 1.7 Education 1.8 Business and Economy 1.9 Major Industries 1.10 Tourism Industry 1.11 Hotel Industry 1.11.1 Hotels and Functions 1.11.2 Types of Department 1.12 Employee in Hotel Industry and Stress 1.13 Conclusion 1
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Introduction This chapter is a brief introduction to Uttarakhand state and hotel Industry. It also focuses on the stress factor growing among the employees in the hotel industry. 1. Introduction to Uttarakhand State : Uttarakhand(Sanskrit: उ र ख डम, Uttarākhandam, Hindi: उ र ख ड, Uttarākhand ), formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods (Hindi: द व भ म, Dēv bhūmi 1 ) due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship. Known for its natural beauty and wealth of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai, the state was carved out of the Himalayan and adjoining northwestern districts of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, becoming the 27th state of the Republic of India. 2 It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region on the north, Nepal on the east and the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh to the south and Himachal Pradesh to the north west. The region is traditionally referred to as Uttarakhand in Hindu scriptures and old literature, a term which derives from Sanskrit uttara (उ र) meaning north, and khand (ख ) meaning country or part of a country. It has an area of 20,682 sq mi (53,566 km²).in January 2007; the name of the state was officially changed from Uttaranchal, its interim name, to Uttarakhand. The provisional capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, which is also a rail-head and the largest city in the region. The small hamlet of Gairsain has been mooted as the future capital owing to its geographic centrality but controversies and lack of resources have led Dehradun to remain provisional capital. The High Court of the state is in Nainital. Recent developments in the region include initiatives by the state government to capitalise on handloom and handicrafts, the burgeoning tourist trade as well as tax incentives to lure high-tech industry to the state. The state also has big-dam projects, controversial and often criticised in India, such as the very large Tehri dam on the Bhagirathi-Bhilangana rivers, conceived in 1953, the phase one of which has already been completed. 3 Uttarakhand is also well known as the birthplace of the Chipko environmental movement, 4 and other social movements. 3
Table1.1 Uttarakhand State Profile Country India Established 9 November 2000 Capital Dehradun Largest city Districts 13 Government Governor Chief Minister Legislature Parliamentary constituency High Court Area Total Area rank Population (2011) Dehradun Dr. Aziz Qureshi Mr Vijay Bahuguna Unicameral (71 seats) 5 Uttarakhand High Court,Nainital 53,566 km 2 (20,682 sq mi) 18 th in the country Total 10,116,752 Rank 19 th in the country Density Literacy 190/km 2 (490/sq mi) 72% (10th) State languages Garhwali, Kumaoni, Hindi, Sanskrit 1 Website State symbols State animal State bird State tree State flower uk.gov.in Musk Deer Monal Rhododendron Brahma Kamal 4
1.1History of Uttarakhand Literally North Country or Section in Sanskrit, the name of Uttarakhand finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as the combined region of Kedarkhand (present day Garhwal) and Manaskhand (present day Kumaon). Uttarakhand was also the ancient Puranic term for the central stretch of the Indian Himalayas. It is well known for the presence of a multitude of Hindu pilgrimage spots. The Pauravas, Kushanas, Kunindas, Guptas, Katyuris, Raikas, Palas, the Chands, and Parmaras or Panwars, Sikhs and the British have ruled Uttarakhand in turns. 5 The region was originally settled by Kols, an aboriginal people of the austro- Asiatic physical type who were later joined by Indo- Aryan Khas tribes that arrived from the northwest by the Vedic period. At that time, present-day Uttarakhand also served as a haunt for Rishis and Sadhus. It is believed that Sage Vyasa scripted the Mahabharata here as the Pandavas are believed to have traveled and camped in the region. Among the first major dynasties of Garhwal and Kumaon were the Kunindas in the 2nd century B.C. who practiced an early form of Shaivism. They traded salt with Western Tibet. It is evident from the Ashokan edict at Kalsi in Western Garhwal that Buddhism made inroads in this region. Folk shamanic practices deviating from Hindu orthodoxy also persisted here. However, Garhwal and Kumaon were restored to nominal Brahmanical rule due to the travails of Shankaracharya and the arrival of migrants from the plains. Between the 4th and 14th centuries, the Katyuri dynasty of Khas origin dominated lands of varying extent from the Katyur (modern day Baijnath) valley in Kumaon. The historically significant temples at Jageshwar are believed to have been built by the Katyuris and later remodeled by the Chands. Other peoples of the Tibeto-Burman group known as Kiratas are thought to have settled in the northern highlands as well as in pockets throughout the region, and believed to be the ancestors to the modern day Bhotiya, Raji, Buksha, and Tharu peoples. 6 By the medieval period, the region was consolidated under the Garhwal Kingdom in the west and the Kumaon Kingdom in the east. From the 13th 18th century, Kumaon prospered under the Chand Rajas who had their origins in the plains of India. During this period, learning and new forms of painting (the Pahari school of art) developed. 7 Modern-day Garhwal was likewise unified under the rule of Parmar/Panwar Rajas, who along with a mass migration of Brahmins and Rajputs, also arrived from the plains. 8 In 1791, the expanding Gurkha Empire of Nepal, overran Almora, the seat of the Kumaon Kingdom. 5
In 1803, the Garhwal Kingdom also fell to the Gurkhas. With the conclusion of the Anglo-Nepalese War in 1816, a rump portion of the Garhwal Kingdom was reestablished from Tehri, and eastern British Garhwal and Kumaon ceded to the British as part of the Treaty of Sugauli.In the post-independence period, the Garhwal Kingdom was merged into Uttar Pradesh state, where Uttarakhand composed the Garhwal and Kumaon Divisions. 9 Until 1998, Uttarakhand was the name most commonly used to refer to the region, as various political groups including most significantly the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Uttarakhand Revolutionary Party est. 1979), began agitating for separate statehood under its banner. Although the erstwhile hill kingdoms of Garhwal and Kumaon were traditional rivals with diverse lingual and cultural influences due to the proximity of different neighbouring ethnic groups, the inseparable and complementary nature of their geography, economy, culture, language, and traditions created strong bonds between the two regions. 10 These bonds formed the basis of the new political identity of Uttarakhand, which gained significant momentum in 1994, when demand for separate statehood (within the Union of India) achieved almost unanimous acceptance among the local populace as well as political parties at the national level. 11 Most notable incident during this period was the Rampur Tiraha firing case on the night of 1 October 1994, which led to public uproar. 12 On 24 September 1998 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the 'Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill', 1998, which eventually led to the creation of the state, 13 eventually the Parliament passed the Indian Federal Legislation - Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2000, and thus on 9 November 2000, 14 Uttarakhand became the 27th state in the Republic of India.However, the term Uttaranchal came into use when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central and Uttar Pradesh state governments initiated a new round of state reorganization in 1998 and introduced its preferred name. 15.In August 2006, India's Union Cabinet assented to the four-year-old demand of the Uttaranchal state assembly and leading members of the Uttarakhand movement to rename Uttaranchal state as Uttarakhand. Legislation to that effect was passed by the State Legislative Assembly in October 2006, 16 and the Union Cabinet brought in the bill in the winter session of Parliament. 6
1.2 Geography of Uttarakhand Uttarakhand has a total geographic area of 53,566 km², of which 93% is mountainous and 64% is covered by forest. Most of the northern parts of the state are part of Greater Himalaya ranges, covered by the high Himalayan peaks and glaciers, while the lower foothills were densely forested till denuded by the British log merchants and later, after independence, by forest contractors. Recent efforts in reforestation, however, have restored the situation to some extent. The Himalayan ecosystem plays host to a large number of animals (including bharal, snow leopards, leopards and tigers), plants and rare herbs. Two of India's largest rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna originate in the glaciers of Uttarakhand, and are fed by myriad lakes, glacial melts and streams in the region. 17 Uttarakhand lies on the southern slope of the Himalaya range, and the climate and vegetation vary greatly with elevation, from glaciers at the highest elevations to subtropical forests at the lower elevations. The highest elevations are covered by ice and bare rock. Below them, between 3,000 and 5,000 metres (9,800 and 16,000 ft) are grasslands and shrublands: the western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows. Temperate coniferous forests, the western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests, grow just below the tree line. At 3,000 to 2,600 metres (9,800 to 8,500 ft) elevation they transit to the temperate western Himalayan broadleaf forests, which lie in a belt from 2,600 to 1,500 metres (8,500 to 4,900 ft) elevation. Below 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) elevation lie the Himalayan subtropical pine forests. The Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests and the drier Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands cover the lowlands along the Uttar Pradesh border. This belt is locally known as Bhabhar. These lowland forests have mostly been cleared for agriculture, but a few pockets remain. 18 Indian National Parks in Uttarakhand include the Jim Corbett National Park (the oldest national park of India) at Ramnagar in Nainital District, Valley of Flowers National Park and Nanda Devi National Park in Chamoli District, which together are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rajaji National Park in Haridwar District, and Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Gangotri National Park in Uttarkashi District. 7
1.3 Demographic Profile of The State: According to 2011 India census, Uttarakhand had a population of 10,116,752. The native people of Uttarakhand are generally called either Kumaoni or Garhwali depending on their place of origin in either the Garhwal or Kumaon region.another well known category is Gujjar, they were the rulers of a kingdom with capital at Landhaura of gurjar partihar dynasty. Kumaoni and Garhwali dialects of Central Pahari are spoken in Kumaon and Garhwal region respectively. Jaunsari and Bhotiya dialects are also spoken by tribal communities in the west and north respectively. The urban population however converses mostly in Hindi. Sanskrit has also official status in the state. Hindus form the majority of the population at 85.0%, Muslims form 10.5%, Sikhs 2.5% and Christians, Buddhists, Jains and others about 0.5%. It has male-female ratio of.964 and has a literacy rate of 72%. The largest cities in the state include Dehradun (530,263), Haridwar (220,767), Roorkee (158,896), Haldwani (145,278) and Rudrapur (88,720). The state government recognizes 15,620 villages and 81 cities and urban areas.historians of Kumaon and Garhwal say that in the beginning there were only three castes: Rajput, Brahmin and Shilpkar. According to a 2007 study, Uttarakhand has the highest percentage of brahmins of any state in India, with approximately 20% of the population being brahmin. 19 1.4 Government and Politics The First State Assembly for Uttarakhand was carved out from the Vidhan-Sabha of Uttar-pradesh for which elections were held in 1996. BJP formed the Government under Nityanand Swami. Swami was replaced by Bhagat Singh Koshiyari in 2001. The State Elections for Second State Assembly were held on 14th Feb,2002. Narayan Dutt Tiwari was elected as the Chief Minister. The State Elections for Third State Assembly were held in March-2007. BJP formed the government along with Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and Maj.General B.C.Khanduri was appointed as the Chief Minister. B.C.Khanduri continued as Chief Minister till End-2009 when he was removed due to defeat of BJP in all the five Lok Sabha Constituencies of Uttarakhand in May-2009. Khanduri was replaced by Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank", he was replaced with B.C.Khanduri in end- 2011. The State Elections for Fourth State Assembly of Uttarakhand were held on 29-01-2012. The current chief Minister of the state is Mr Vijay Bahuguna 20. 8
1.5 Districts and Important Places of Uttarakhand :There are 13 districts in Uttarakhand which are grouped into two divisions, Kumaon and Garhwal 21. Table 1.5.1 Districts of Uttarakhand Kumaoun Division Garwhal Divisio Almora Dehradun Bageshwar Haridwar Champawat Tehri Garhwal Nainital Uttarkashi Pithoragarh Chamoli Udham-SinghNagar Pauri Garhwal Rudraprayag On the basis of secondary research a list of major visitor destinations in the State of Uttaranchal was identified. As per the scope of work, the same was forwarded to the Director Tourism, Uttaranchal Tourism Development Corporation. Based on the inputs received from UTDC Uttaranchal Tourism Development Corporation, the following locations were finalized, which are as depicted in the Table below 22. Table 1.5.2 Important places of Uttarakhand Location Importance Grade 1. Dehradun State Capital A 2. Haridwar Place of Religious importance Place of Religious importance A 3. Rishikesh Religious location A 4. Mussourie Hill Station A A 5. Badrinath Famous religious dham Famous religious dham A 6. Kedarnath Famous religious dham Famous religious dham A 7. Gangotri Famous religious dham Famous religious dham A 8. Yamunotri Famous religious dham Famous religious dham A 9. Nainital Hill Station of prominence A 10.Narendra Nagar Scenic Spot B 11. Hem Kund Sahib Religious spot B 12. Joshi Math Religious spot Religious spot B 13. Kothdwar Scenic spot Scenic Spot C 14. Rajaji National Park Wildlife Spot of prominence B 15. Corbett National Park Wildlife Spot of prominence B 16. Pithoragarh Scenic Spot Scenic Spot B 17. Almora Hill Station Hill Station B 18. Ranikhet Hill Station Hill Station B 19. Bageshwar Hill Station Hill Station B 20. Kausani Hill Station Hill Station B 21. Udham Singh Nagar Scenic location Scenic location B 9
1.6 Infrastructure Physical infrastructure 23 Transport: Uttarakhand is well connected with Rail, Road and Air modes of transport. Uttarakhand has been using modern technology for infrastructure development and to design, manage and implement its plans. The state s revenues from the transport department have nearly doubled with a 97.93 per cent increase since its formation. The development has been planned in accordance with the needs of tourists as well as the industrial centres set-up in the state..the government has also proposed Public Private Partnershipsfor the establishment of additional driver-training institutes, passenger shelters, and Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS)among others. Railways: The state deployed 345 km of rail routes by 2005 06. As on31 March 2005, density of rail routes was 6.45 route km per thousand km of geographical area.efforts are being made in conjunction with the Urban Development Department to establish Mono Rail System in Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh and their inter-city linkage routes. Air: The state has two operating domestic airports at Dehradun and Uddham Singh Nagar, with connectivity to Delhi. The state plans to provide better infrastructure facilities at airstrips and operate flights for chardhams (a popular pilgrimage routine covering four famous religious spots - Gangotri, Yamunotri,Badrinath and Kedarnath). The airports names are: JollyGrant, Airport(Dehradun), PantnagarAirport(Pantnagar), NAINISAINI(Pithoragarh),Uttarkashi,Gochar (Chamoli),Agastyamuni (Heliport) (Rudraprayag) Roadways: The total length of road network in 2005-06 maintained bythe Public Works Department (PWD), Border Roads Task Force(BRTF), local bodies and other departments was 27,509.58 km. The national highway coverage stood at 1,327.6 km and state highways at 1,542.78 km in 2005-06.The state s priority has been to develop roads to improve connectivity and ensure safety. This has improved travel conditions, and accelerated the development of tourism, and created an environment conducive to industrial growth. Uttarakhand provides direct bus services from Dehradun and Nainital to various districts and cities of neighbouring states. 10
Ropeways: The state plans to explore the potential of ropeways as an effective means of transportation and to promote tourism. Urban infrastructure : Urban infrastructure development is a priority for the state government for which it allocated $20.33 million in 2005-06 and $58.84 million in 2006 07.Housing projects have been taken up on a priority basis, including a 275-acre project in Haridwar. Under the Nainital Lake Development Project, the focus is on conservation and rejuvenation of the Naini Lake and four other lakes in the surrounding areas with an aid of $15.12 million from the Governmentof India. The treatment of water sources is being taken up as a major initiative through the Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs). In 2005 06, the urban development department approved $0.23 million for management and disposal of solid waste. Power: Uttarakhand is being developed as an energy state to tap its huge potential of 20,000 MW. The Power Transmission Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd(PTCUL) is responsible for transmission of power. Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) is the sole distribution and supply licensee. Water: The traditional methods of water harvesting like nauley, dharey, chal and khal are being promoted. In 2005-06,$76.28 million was spent to improve water supply. Over 3,000 new rural drinking water plans have been incorporated between 2001 and 2006. There has also been a marked increase in the number of hand pumps and tube wells in rural areas.steps have been taken to preserve natural sources of water. The state has adopted modern techniques of water preservation and distribution like the Uttarakhand Koop and automated tube wells. Sanitation: In an effort to improve sanitation, partial sewer arrangements have been provided in a third of the towns in the state. The Total Sanitation for Villages campaign aims at developing a waste disposal system across the state. Health infrastructure The following objectives have been laid down by the state in its health and population policy: Eradicate polio 11
Reduce the level of leprosy to below 1 per 10,000 population Installation Capacity (in MW) 1000.5 1.7 Education With a current literacy rate of 71.6 per cent, the state strives to achieve 95 per cent literacy 24.Historically, Uttarakhand is believed to be the land where the Vedas and the Shastras were composed and the great epic, the Mahabharata, was written. Rishikesh is widely considered the Yoga capital of the world. Uttarakhand is home to several important educational institutions, including the oldest engineering colleges in Asia, the Indian Institute of Technology at Roorkee and Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology in Pantnagar.Other universities and institutes of prime importance include, Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Forest Research Institute in Dehradun, Uttaranchal Institute of Technology in Dehradun, Govind Ballabh Pant Engineering College in Pauri and Kumaon Engineering College, Dwarahat.Uttarakhand is home to several reputed and prestigious day and boarding schools including St. Joseph's College (Nainital),The Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) (Dehradun) The Doon School (Dehradun), Welham Girls School (Dehradun), Welham Boys School (Dehradun), Summer Valley School(Dehradun), SelaQui International School (Dehradun), Brightlands (Dehradun), St. Joseph's Academy (Dehradun), Woodstock School (Landour), St. George's College (Mussoorie), Birla Vidya Mandir (Nainital), Sherwood College (Nainital), All Saints' College (Nainital), St. Mary's Convent (Nainital). Several Indian luminaries have attended these schools including former prime ministers and film stars.garhwal and Kumaun Universities were founded in 1973.Beside these there are other famous universities in Uttarakhand 25. 1.8 Business and Economy Having tremendous growth potential, Uttarakhand Business and Industries sector is thriving across the state. The Uttaranchal Industries sector mainly consists of Sugar Mills, Cloth Mills, Paper Mills, Flour and Rice Mills, Pharmaceuticals, and Stone Rolling Mills etc. The Agricultural Sector, on the other hand, consists of Dairy farms, Rice and Wheat Production, Fish Farming, Poultry Farming, Floriculture, Horticulture, and Pickle and Sauce Industries, which are flourishing in the state. Besides, Handicrafts, handlooms, wool based industry, khadi and village industry, waxed based industry are 12
other traditional industries spread across the state. The state government is also assisting to establish a number of small and medium size agro parks, food parks etc., to aid the agriculture and food processing industry to provide common infrastructure facilities for storage, processing, grading and marketing 26. The size of Uttarakhand's Economy as measured by its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for 2011 (Financial year ending March 2011) is estimated at SIDCUL, the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand has established seven industrial estates in the southern periphery of the state, while dozens of hydroelectric dams are being built in the upper reaches 27. The primary sector includes conventional components like agriculture, cultivation, and mining activities. The composition of the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors is as follows: Primary sector constituting Agriculture; Forestry & Logging;Fisheries; Mining and Quarrying Secondary sector constituting Manufacturing; Construction; Electricity, Gas & Water Supply Tertiary sector constituting Transport & Communication; Trade, Hotels & Restaurants; Banking & Insurance; Real Estate, Ownership of Dwellings and Business Services; Public Administration; and Other Services. The state is essentially driven by the tertiary sector. Tourism is one of the key components with a major contribution to the economy primarily due to the state s natural beauty and the potential to offer varied forms of activities ranging from religious to adventure tourism 21. But, by and large, the Tourism Industry remains as one of the major industries of the state and generates most revenue for the Uttaranchal Business and Economy. Hotel Industry, Travel Agencies, and all hospitality related business are other subsidiaries of the tourism industry are also growing as potential Uttaranchal Industries 28. 1.9 Major Industries 29 Floriculture and Horticulture :Uttarakhand has almost all the different agro-geo climatic zones making it particularly conducive to commercial horticulture and 13
floriculture. Floriculture is being developed in a big way in order to meet the demand of both - the domestic as well as the foreign markets. The climate is ideal for growing flowers all round the year. Horticulture is also being promoted in a big way through adequate incentives and facilities to the industry. Agro and Food Processing Industries :The state government provides assistance in establishing small and medium size agro parks, food parks etc., which in turn are expected to provide common infrastructure facilities for storage, processing, grading and marketing. Four Agri Export Zones (AEZs) have already been declared under the AEZ scheme of Government of India for leechi, horticulture, herbs, medicinal plants and basmati rice. Biotechnology: Biotechnology (BT) is poised to make significant contributions in agriculture, human and animal health care, environment management and process industries. Rare species of plants and animals found in the state, add to its natural advantage in this sector. Forest Products- Herbs and Spices: Since a significant part of the state is under the forest cover (almost 70 percent), there exists excellent potential for the development of forest resources based industries. In addition, there is ample scope to develop industries based on forest and agro wastes such as lantana, pine needles and plant & vegetative fibres Uttarakhand is also a storehouse for a rich variety of herbs, medicinal and aromatic plant species. Information and Communication Technology: Several initiatives have been taken to promote IT and ITeS industry in Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand offers high-speed connectivity with the establishment of an STPI earth station at Dehradun and proposed earth stations at other locations. Facilities by BSNL and Reliance are also available in the state. A dedicated IT park is already coming up in Dehradun and others are in the pipeline. Hydro power: The state has untapped potential for generating hydropower, which is both cheap and clean. Nearly 15000 MW of hydropower can be generated in the state. The government has identified 47 small hydro sites (up to 25 MW) for allotment to the private sector. Also, 17 major hydro sites (25-100 MW) have been taken up for development. 14
1.10 Tourism Industry Tourism related activities have a huge scope for development in Uttarakhand. The government has set up Uttarakhand Tourism Board to function as an apex body for development of tourism. Channelled through the private sector, many projects for this purpose have been designed for implementation. To further such projects the government has opened opportunities for private sector participation in the industry. To attract and encourage Public Private Partnerships (PPP), the government plans to adopt an efficient Single Window Clearance system. The tourism sector is considered as the major promoter of the economy. The government aim to place Uttarakhand on the world map as a leading destination for environmentally sustainable and socially responsible tourism 30. 1.10 Types of tourism: The Uttrakhand economy is ideally situated to take advantage of the situation and scale up its tourism sector. The two inputs that are necessary for the development of the two inputs that are necessary for the development of this sector, i.e., natural and human capital, are abundantly available in the state.. (i) Leisure tourism: There are a number of hill stations in the state including Nainital, Mussoorie, Almora, Kausani and Ranikhet that are currently established centres for leisure tourism. There are a number of other spots like Chakrata that can be further developed for these activities. (ii) Nature and wildlife tourism: in the protected forests and sanctuariesecotourism can be defined as a type of tourism where the environment, local community and visitorall benefit. Ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions 31. (iii) Religious tourism: To Uttarakhand, long called "abode of the gods" (Devbhumi), belong some of the holiest Hindu shrines, and for more than a thousand years, pilgrims have been visiting the region in the hopes of salvation and purification from sin. Gangotri and Yamunotri, the sources of both the Ganges and Yamuna fall in the upper reaches of the state and together with Badrinath (dedicated to Vishnu) and Kedarnath (dedicated to Shiva) form the Char Dham, one of 15
Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious pilgrimage circuits. Haridwar, meaning "Gateway to God" is a prime Hindu destination. Haridwar hosts the Kumbha Mela every twelve years, in which millions of pilgrims take part from all parts of the India and the world. Rishikesh near Haridwar is known as the preeminent yoga centre of India. The state has an abundance of temples and shrines, many dedicated to local deities or manifestations of Shiva and Durga, references to many of which can be found in Hindu scriptures and legends 32. The architecture of most of these temples is typical of the region and slightly different from other parts of India. The ancient temples at Jageshwar (a complex of 124 temples in a deodar woodland) are historically the most prominent for their distinct architectural features. Uttarakhand is, however, a place of pilgrimage not only for the Hindus. Hemkund nested in the Himalayas is a prime pilgrimage centre for the Sikhs. Tibetan Buddhism has also made itself felt with the recent reconstruction of Mindroling Monastery and its Buddha Stupa, touted as the world's highest 33 southwest of Dehradun. (iv) Adventure tourism: These activities include river-rafting, kayaking, skiing, trekking, paragliding, etc. The fast moving mountain rivers and the slopes in the higher ranges of the mountains provide ideal locations for these activities 34. Uttarakhand adventure holiday offers all types of adventure activities like trekking with different trek circuits like Panch Kedar Trek, Kedarnath - Vasuki Tal Trek, Dodi Tal Trek, Gangotri Kedarnath Trek, Gangotri-Gaumukh- Nandavan-Tapovan Trek, Bageshwar - Sunderdhunga - Pindari - Kafni Glacier Trek the major sites of skiing are Auli, Dayara Bugyal, Mundali, Munsyari, the major sites of water sports are Asan Barrage Water Sports Resort, Nainital Lake Paradise, Nanaksagar Matta; the major sites of White Water-Rafting are Ganges River, Garhwal, Gangotri, Garhwal Himalayas, Lake Paradise, Nainital, Asan Barrage, Kudiyala Rafters Club etc 35. (v) Health Tourism: Uttarakhand plans to foray into health tourism in a big way, creating hubs and taking advantage of abundant medicinal and aromatic plants, beside other tourism. This will concentrate on large-scale production of various types of herbs and aromatic plants which are used for medicinal and other purposes, which would alsogenerate employment 36.Development of the tourism 16
sector can help the local economy in a number of ways. The most important impact is the creation of employment for local people. Employment will be created in the hotels, restaurants and other kinds of lodgings as well as in the tour operating. The development of tourism requires a lot of physical and human infrastructure.the most important factor for the development of high value tourism is the availability of quality hotels. While this sector should be developed. The tourism sector can be encouraged to provide employment to the local people in the hotels and the tour operative business 37.Three types of tourists visit Uttarakhand. High-end tourists come on weekends and spend a lot of money on hired taxis but that does not contribute to the local economy. Pilgrims stay 10-15 days and the money they spend filters down directly to the economy of Uttarakhand. Modern tourists who come for a holiday spend money on their stay, which directly benefits the local population, but they cause pollution, which is at a heavy cost to the Environment 38. Table 1.10.1 present the fact that at the district level, regions in the plains have relatively better infrastructure. Of the total number of tourists visiting the state, 67 per cent visit regions in the plains and only 33 per cent venture into the hill regions. Table1.10.1 Number of Tourist arrivals, 2005-2006 District Domestic tourists Foreign tourists Total Almora 225333 5101 230434 Chamoli 1670176 3078 1673254 Pauri Garhwal 522180 9835 532015 Pithoragarh 193947 1136 195083 Rudraprayag 493824 1092 494916 Tehri Garhwal 591033 8699 599732 Uttarkashi 804032 1511 805543 Dehradun 2361254 20573 2381827 Haridwar 6283726 11012 6294738 Nainital 616594 12504 629098 US Nagar 67946 220 68166 Uttarakhand 13830045 74761 13904806 Hill districts 4500525 30452 4530977 32.54 40.73 32.59 Districts in the plains 9329520 44309 9373829 67.46 9.27 67.41 Compiled from district statistics from Monthly Review of Uttaranchal Economy by The Regional Monitoring Service of CMIE. 17
Table 1.10.2. Uttarakhand. presents status of tourist arrivals from the year2001 to 2006 in Table 1.10.2. : Status of tourist arrivals (Unit: Million) Year Uttarakhand Domestic Tourists Foreign Tourists 2001 3.97 4.04 0.82 2002 3.88 3.93 0.87 2003 3.45 3.51 0.82 2004 3.15 3.2 0.75 2005 3.65 3.64 0.76 2006 4.12 4.2 0.84 Source: Central Statistical Organisation The month wise trend of domestic overnight visitors, foreign overnight visitors as well as day visitors has been depicted in the Table 1.10.3 below 39. Table 1.10.3 Month wise trend of Visitors Reference Period: April 2005 - March 2006 Month Domestic Foreign Day Visitors Total April 712088 7160 165911 885159 May 880148 5861 182432 1068441 June 1057988 19293 407481 1484762 July 783599 18043 211190 1012832 August 744845 7039 239191 991075 September 765926 10107 172128 948161 October 820110 10477 144142 974729 November 770733 7960 174538 953231 December 750305 7572 136628 894505 January 610809 4832 202647 818288 February 612597 5955 152516 771068 March 621231 4785 191190 817206 Total 9130379 109084 237994 11619457 Source: Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, ACNielsen ORG-MARG Pvt. Ltd. Even years after the creation of the state and despite the potential for all kinds of tourism, the state is not able to attract tourists because of the poor tourism infrastructure. The total number of tourist arrivals in Uttarakhand was 19.45 million in 2006; with the infrastructure facilities currently available the situation is very poor 40. Tourism Statistic State wise for Uttarakhand is depicted in table1.10.5 18
Table 1.10.4 Tourism Statistic State wise Share of Top 10 States/UTs of India in Number of Domestic Tourist Visits in 2007 Domestic Tourist Visits * Rank State/UT Number Percentage Share (%) 1 Andhra Pradesh 127933333 24.3 2 Uttar Pradesh 116244008 22.1 3 Tamil Nadu 71034651 13.5 4 Karnataka 37825953 7.2 5 Rajasthan 25920529 4.9 6 Uttarakhand 19803280 3.8 7 Maharashtra 19243597 3.7 8 West Bengal l18580669 3.5 9 Madhya Pradesh 13894500 2.6 10 Gujarat 3477316 2.6 Total of top 10 463957836 88.2 Others 62610962 11.8 Total 526568798 100.0 * Provisional Note: Figures for Maharashtra & Chhattisgarh have been estimated Source: State/UT Tourism Departments. 1.11 Hotel Industry When we think of hotels we think of tourists. The bulk of business demand of hotel industry' comes from tourism. If we look at the guests profile of a hotel we will find that majority of its users are tourists. The phenomenal growth of hotels in the various tourists sites is another indicator of the linkage between hotel and tourism. On the other side tourism is dependent on hotel industry. It is said that "hotel is an essential destination facility that a country must provide to build up its tourist image. One can choose from any category of hotel according to the preferences and budget. The star hotels in Uttarakhand are also some of the most preferred among the various accommodations and are known for their wide range of facilities and services. These hotels provide an all-inclusive range of facilities and services that are required for a 19
relaxed and contented stay. Being a tourist hub, Uttaranchal provides some good accommodation options for the tourists to choose from. The Uttaranchal hotels are classified into a fine range of categories to suit all budgets. Depending on the category of the hotel, the facilities provided differs. However, the basic amenities required by a tourist are provided by almost all the Uttaranchal hotels 41. 1.11.1 Hotels and Functions: Since early period, hospitality industry started from the houses in villages. With the passage of time new features added as per changes in the society and travelling fiels.inns and guest houses were established. Starting from Dharamsalas,Sarais, chaupals, gradually evolved into present hotel industry. This industry was not formed in span of few years or months but it is a reflection of culture, history, ideas and traditions. Hotels sell both goods and services. Hotel is looked "as home away from home, or "refuge from home". It not only provides accommodation to a guest but also takes care of his her certain other needs. That is why the hotel industry is referred to as hospitality industry. There are various categories among hotels like Five Star, Three Star or One Star etc. This classification is based on the type of facilities, infrastructure and services offered by the hotels 42.Hotels can be classified according to: Room charges i.e. up-budget, budget, luxury etc. Purpose of the guest stay like resort, business etc. Length of stay (transit, residential etc. Hotel management is defined as the process of planning, organizing, monitoring and controlling the activities of a hotel for achieving the stated objectives of the organisation. Itis an ongoing effort and not a one shot management effort. 1.11.2 Types Of Departments Front Office And Reservations The front office in a hotel works as a link between management and guests. The front office functions most crucial in a sense that major activities in relation to the guests stay in a hotel are controlled from here. The front office looks after the functions such as selling guest rooms, profiling information on hotel services, and coordination of housekeeping, maintaining guest accounts and files 20
and performing the check out procedure. In some cases the front offices may also have the responsibilities of making reservation for Hotels tour/journey, organising special functions and arranging for secretarial services for guests. The front office is generally manned by receptionists, cashiers, front desk clerks, billing clerks, front office manager, etc. Keeping in mind the recent market trend it is now important for the front office to computerise the operation as far as possible and to develop a data bank of guest history. What is most important here for managers is to go for innovative thinking for adding facilities. Food and Beverage: operation involves a high degree of technical knowledge and skill. The major function of this department is to provide foods and beverages to hotel residents as well as to non-residents or outside guests. Depending on the need and demand of the customers different types of services can be offered, like table service, room service, self-service or any other specialised service. It basically depends on the management to decide about the type of services. Food and beverage department is headed by a manager and under him there are chief chef, restaurant manager, floor service manager, store keeper, waiter, etc. Operation of the department starts when the customers enter outlet, followed by the customer's orders, serving their food, presenting them with their bills and ends with" their exit from the outlet. Food Production: 43 It is one of the largest areas of food and beverage department comprising of various kitchen and their sections. The number of kitchen, manpower and work efficiency depends upon the size and type of the hotel, and the types of meal and service to be catered, from the commercial viewpoint. It contributed major revenue in any catering business. The verities of meals are prepared and looked by the skilled and semi skilled culinary crafts and the key person. Main kitchen is probably located at the central part of hotel where overall sequence of food receiving, storing, pre paring, cooking, serving and creating area are properly designed and managed. Housekeeping 44 The housekeeping function outside the hotel bedroom normally includes cleaning of the bedroom floors and may also include the staircases, public cloakrooms and other public areas of the hotel and the restaurant area as well as the men s and women s restrooms. This activity is normally carried out at odd hours or at the times when public is not around this area. The standard of the cleanliness needs to be maintained and it s the duty of the executive housekeeper to see that pre-determined 21
standards of cleanliness are maintained in all the areas of the hotel. Housekeeping can rightly be called soul of a hotel if front office is considered to be the heart of a hotel. It is the housekeeping which gets the room ready for the guest and when guest checks out room is handed over to the housekeeping for up-keeping. Some of the common issues that need managerial attention are 45 : Guest Services : Important aspect that differentiates hotels in consumers' perception is the quality of guest services. Deciding on the types of services to be provided and setting the quality and standards for these services is a major challenge for the management. Repeat business : Customer satisfaction achieved through guest service leads to repeat business. Profitability in the long run depends to a large extent on such business. Skills of the staff: The quality of guest services depends on the knowledge and skills of the serving staff. A manager must recruit qualified staff; train them as per the hotel's requirements; coordinate their operations; monitor their job 'activities and motivate them. At the same time, taking care of staff needs is must because a satisfied staff would provide better service. Seasonality : At many destinations the business is seasonal. The manager faces the challenge of making maximum profits during the strong demand period and minimising costs during the weak demand period. Customer feedback : A good manager would always work for getting customer's feedback on the quality of service. This will not only ensure corrective action, if necessary, but also a better understanding of customer needs. Safety considerations : Whether it is a big hotel or a small unit, the management must take into account safety of the guests as well as employees into consideration. Precautions against fire and theft deserve highest attention along with first aid or medical facilities. Having a security department or in a small unit assigning such responsibilities to a manager is a step in this regard. This needs perfect planning with a set of rules and regulations. 22
Maintenance and Engineering: The buildings and facilities in a lodging unit require constant maintenance as they have a bearing on the quality of the product and service offered to the customer. Even the most ordinary facilities like bathroom fittings, electrical fittings etc. are a part of the experience of the guest and affect his or her level of satisfaction. Environment : The management of a hotel must contribute for the conservation of ecology and environment. Provisions for garbage disposal, waste recycling, use of non-conventional energy resources, cleanliness, etc. should be inbuilt in the hotel's plans and operations.there should be professionally qualified, trained, experienced, efficient and courteous staff in smart, clean uniforms, and the staff coming in contact with guests should understand the speak English. The supervisory and senior staff should possess a good knowledge of English. It will be desirable for some of the staff to have knowledge of foreign languages, and staff knowing at least one continental language should be on duty at all times 46. 1.12 Employees in Hotel Industry and Stress Maintaining all the operations of the hotel effectively and efficiently is a challenging task that require skilled and competent work force at different levels of management and employees. Employees levels can be classified into three categories, top, middle, and lower level. However the designation name can vary according to the organization. Top Level Employees integrates the functions of whole organization. Overall management includes, determination of management goals and objectives, overall planning, staffing, organising, directing and controlling whereas Middle Level Stands between top level and lower level employees. While working in the middle, they face pressure from three sides from themselves, top level and lower levels. Lower Level Employees deal more in operational tasks. Hotel Industry is based on Man Power. Human Resource is the Backbone of Hotel Industry. At all the three tiers of Managerial levels, hotel industry is a demanding, and challenging area. It is apparent that the managerial roles in hotels include managing, Human resources, that is employees activities, Physical resources that is hotel facilities, and Finances. Hotels are operational 24 hours a day, the rate of occupancy varies on day to day or season to season basis. This means that though the product is being 23
maintained, used and consumed all the time, the earning or profits are not there all the time, the nature of service is very personal that is every guest is special, Problems need, not immediate attention but solutions and the response time has to be very quick, Like any other tourism product or service the hotel product is not storable and in case of non use, it is perishable. The hotel business is highly competitive. For organizational effectiveness that is quality maintenance, growth, productivity and profit the work force in hotels are under high work pressure that results in stress and burnouts. Star category hotels demand duty round the clock. As the expectations are high, survival of the fittest, concept fits it. The Human resource is bound to undergo stress of different types. Work stress places a very high toll on both employees and employers. An employee subjected to high levels of stress could experience both physical and mental side-effects. decrease the lifespan of the person. The psychological effects such as repressed emotions, anger, and isolation have a direct negative impact on organizational productivity. Thus, organizations have a great responsibility in reducing the stress of their employees, and in general are concerned about their well-being; the workplace of the 21 st century is a fast-paced, dynamic, highly stimulating environment which brings a large number of benefits and opportunities to those who work within it. And employees are expected to deal not only with their own pressures but also with the pressure of the people they manage, when people feel pressurized they put additional pressure on their colleagues and it become a part of the work culture. Out of different stress induced industries, Hotel industry is one of the key areas prone to stress, due to many job characteristics. Many hotels are around-the-clock, 24-hour operations and staffs are required to work varied shifts and extended hours. A hotel requires the best from its employees. High standards, top service and quality product expected from guest and management is stressful. Stress is different for everyone what causes one person to feel pressurized won t be true for someone else. Unexpected things happen to the employees, extra demands are made, time runs out, deadlines get passed over which one may appear to have little control. How one deal with the seemingly uncontrollable is the key to good management. Most people need a certain amount of pressure to motivate and challenge them, particularly in the workplace. Beside salary and incentives, growth opportunities, job satisfaction, security, self esteem, learning skills, relationship with peers are certain key points related to stress. As nature is full of differences and variety, stress too has its 24
different implications. There is another face of stress, without it life would be routine and dull. One needs pressure but too much will make him/her unproductive and inefficient. Stress management can help in providing a new dimension to stress. 1.13 Conclusion: In the research study the first chapter focus on the profile of Uttarakhand State. Tourism industry is a sunrise industry,in Uttarakhand. Hotels and tourism are dependent on each other. In this chapter it is analyzed that stress is an important issue associated with the hotel jobs and employees in star category hotels of Uttarakhand. This chapter gave a background for the study. Stress is identified as an important and sensitive area of research. 25
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