The Hindu, September 18, 2014
The Departments of Forest and
Tourism had started chalking out schemes to explore the tourism
potential of Konni, Adavi, and Gavi by including these places in the
tourism map of Kerala, said T. Pradeepkumar, Divisional Forest Officer.
The departments would be launching attractive travel packages on the
Konni-Adavi-Gavi route.
Forest Department sources
said that the Central Tourism Department would include four circuits,
including the Konni-Adavi-Gavi stretch, from Kerala in the Tourism
Circuit. With this, the State would get Central assistance to the tune
of Rs.8 crore for tourism development in the region.
Elephant camp
Mr.
Pradeepkumar said the Elephant Camp at Konni had been identified as the
eco-tourism hub in the region and steps would be taken to provide
better amenities there. The park at the camp would be kept open from 8
a.m. to 9 p.m. A modern restaurant would be opened jointly by the
departments.
He said the Forest Department had given
priority to promote ecotourism spots such as Adavi and attracting more
tourists to these places.
Coracle ride
The
recently introduced coracle ride along the Mundommoozhy-Thannithode
stretch of river Kallar at Adavi has been attracting tourists from
different parts of the State in a big way.
The Forest
Department would be setting up a rehabilitation centre for elephants in
160 hectares of forests on the banks of the Kallar.
Mr.
Pradeepkumar said the Rs.350-lakh centre, modelled on the one at
Pinnawala in Sri Lanka, would have a 5 km river frontage. The State had
already sanctioned Rs.100 lakh for the same.
A herbal
garden, bamboo park, arboretum, elephant breeding places in natural
settings, honey bee park, and a butterfly park would be the other
attractions at the Adavi ecotourism centre.
Familiarising
people with the wild through such projects would be of great help in
checking anti-forest activities, the DFO said.
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