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Green plans for tourism. More..
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Eco-tourism strokes winter fire More..
- Easy on the limbs, Pleasing for the senses More
Siliguri, Dec. 3: State forest minister Ananta Roy today said his department was meditating on a draft proposal on sustainable development of ecotourism in the state.
At a seminar on “Prospects of Eco-Tourism in North Bengal” organised by the West Bengal Forest Service Association at the Sukna auditorium foresters and their minister said such a plan was essential to strike a balance between development and conservation of protected forest area.
“The recent trends in development of private as well as government infrastructure for eco-tourism will improve the socio-economic conditions of people living near forest area,” Roy said after the seminar.
“We will draft an eco-tourism plan to ensure that the work in the field remains consistent. We will also keep an eye on the environment factor.”
The minister said the guideline they are planning would help foresters and prospective entrepreneurs implement projects in a better way. “The department is expanding its infrastructure by opening sites at places like Kalipur, Dhupjhora and Murti,” he added.
K.C. Gayen, the principal chief conservator of forests of the state, spoke at length on the scope of eco-tourism and the limitations.’
“The discussion at the seminar centred around the effectiveness of ecotourism in the economic development of residents staying in forests villages,” Gayen said.
“Simultaneously, the development must be viable so that forest resources do not face any threat,” the principal chief conservator of forests added.
Source: Now.
Dated: December 4, 2007.
Siliguri, Dec. 4: The Bengal government has finally decided to formulate and adopt a definite policy on eco-tourism.
“We have started gathering details of eco-tourism policies being followed in other countries and in states like Karnataka, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh. We will also send the managing director of forest development corporation, Arin Ghosh, to get first-hand knowledge of how eco-tourism is being practiced in Andhra Pradesh,’ state forest minister Ananta roy told The Telegraph. The policy may be expected by next year, he added.
The document will lay down in clear terms how much of the forests can be opened for eco-tourism and in what manner. “It will articulate regulations on the entry of tourists in the protected areas and the nature and extent of private initiatives in forests,” the minister said.
The demand for a policy was first mooted during the visit of the Assembly’s standing committee on forests to this region more than a month ago. “the standing committee decided on principle to have in place a set of clearly articulated policy on promoting tourism in sensitive areas like the forests,” said Tapas Das, divisional forest officer, Wildlife-II.
Both industry and environmentalists have greeted the news with enthusiasm. “What is happening in the name of ecotourism is nothing but arrant chaos,” said environmentalist Animesh Bose. “A clear-cut policy on ecotourism is the need of the hour and we welcome the decision, though it comes late.”
Tour operator and a member of the wildlife advisory board Raj Basu said the policy-makers must involve all stakeholders. “Given that the very spirit of eco-tourism demands community involvement, the policy-makers must keep in mind the interests of the community and also take the opinion of the tourism industry,” he said.
Source: Now.
Dated: 5th December 2007.
ECO-TOURISM STROKES WINTER FIRE
Kalimpong, Dec. 6: Eco-tourism initiatives have conquered the hill winter, continuing to fill the coffers of the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation(WBFDC) even during what is otherwise called the lean season.
M.S. Murli, divisional manager, Kalimpong forest division, said winter bookings in all its 11 tourist facilities in the subdivision have been very encouraging this year.”We hope to do business worth about Rs 40 lakh this winter. We made Rs 85 lakh in the last fiscal, and hope to cross Rs 1 crore this year, ”Murli added.
The corporation has most of its wilderness camps and nature resorts in the Kalimpong subdivision, all located in the pristine middle and lower hill forests. The latest place to be brought on its tourism radar is Paren , near Bhutan border, about 110 km from Siliguri.
“We have two cottages there, and are constructing another two. They should be operational by next summer,” said Murli. The WBFDC also has resorts in Gorubathang, Jaldhaka , Lava, Loleygaon, Mongpong, Samsing, Rangpo and a few other places.
All these spots are already very popular with domestic tourists and now the corporation is looking to woo foreigners. For this, the WBFDC recently hosted a team of tour operators from Delhi to acquaint them with the places.
“All the operators who were here cater to high-end foreign tourists. They were very impressed with the locations and the facilities available there. They will be getting back to our managing director very soon,” Murli said.
Besides foreign tourists, the corporation is also targeting corporate clientele. “We have constructed spacious conference rooms at our resorts in Lava and Loleygoan which can be used to hold corporate meetings. These rooms even have LCD projectors for power-point presentations,” the divisional manager said.
Environmentalists, however, have cautioned the corporation against going overboard. “As long as the WBFDC sticks to its stated objective of encouraging regulated tourism without leaving any scar on the environment, it should not be anybody’s problem,” said one of them.
Source: The Telegraph
Dated: 7th December 2006.
EASY ON THE LIMBS, PLEASING FOR THE SENSES.
THE MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE INTRODUCES THE “HIMALYAN HERITAGE HAMLET TREAK”…
Thanks are due to the State Government for giving high priority to the ecotourism sector. With the boom in tourism sector of Sikkim, more tourists have come visiting in the last few years. Some of the elderly and younger visitors, who cannot engage in high altitude treks, have always wanted to treks in the lower altitudes of Sikkim. The travel operators have also been waiting for such trekkers who cannot make it up to Dzongri, Yambong or Green Lake.
With the support of The Mountain Institute, Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee, Yuksom , Sikkim Ecotourism and Conservation federation have taken this remotest villages for low altitude village treks.
The trek named “Himalayan Heritage Hamlet Trek” and passes through remote villages of West Sikkim where traditions and culture are still rich, vibrant and alive. One can experience the life style of the yak herders at Chongri, Limbo culture at Topung, Bhutia culture at Melli, make a wish at the Khechopalri wishing lake, witness archaeological delights at Yuksom, the first capital of Sikkim, Gurung sheep herders at Pokhri Dara and Labdang, Lepcha indigenous community at Martam and in the end relax in the healing waters of the Borong Heritage hot spring.
Mrs. Helen from England and her colleagues from Nepal were the first tourists on this village trek. The group made its entry from Labdang, a Gurung village. They made 5 days trek with a stop at Dhoopi Dara, Pokhri, and Martam and finally exited at Ralong via Borong hot spring.
One can’t really imagine how lovely the village people and their welcoming session for the guests was. Villagers of Dhoopi, Pokhri came all the way down to the river bank to receive them and their hospitality and generously was unsurpassable. What interested the tourists the most was the welcoming ceremony and launch at the Lepcha village at Martam, where the villagers divided themselves into groups of males and females to welcome the guests. The guests were provided with local dishes, fruits and bamboo Millets(chang) in the homesteads.
The best season for this village trek is from October to April. The village based ecotourism committees, will assist in arranging the logistics of this trek, and providing a memorable experience for the tourists. Accommodation can be arranged in homesteads as well as village camping sites. Everyone should come and visit this living cultural museum of Sikkim!
Lastly thanks are due to the Department of Tourism, government of sikkim, to all our colleagues who have taken a keen interest in promoting this low altitude village trek and hotel Norbu Gang, Gangtok for their support. For more details contact us at secf@tmi-india.org.
Source: Now.
Dated: 9th December 2006.