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Chief Minister unveils sustainable, inclusive ecotourism policy
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday unveiled the ‘Ecotourism Policy 2017’ at the Secretariat and it was received by Forests Minister Dindigul C Sreenivasan.
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Chennai
The objective of the policy would be identify, promote and develop natural areas as ecotourism destinations.
It would develop ecotourism on each site based on the carrying capacity and regulate the influx of visitors within the threshold level to preserve the sanctity of site, besides promoting eco-friendly infrastructure in conformity with the guiding principles.
The policy is aimed at facilitating partnerships between the stakeholders to develop, promote and maintain ecotourism sites, besides creating livelihood opportunities and share benefits with the local communities for their support to conservation, a press release here said.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami had earlier announced that the state will come out with such a policy. Community based ecotourism, where the emphasis will be on the active involvement of local communities for their empowerment, was one of the “guiding principles” on which the development of ecotourism in the state will be based, the policy said.
It also said “ecotourism sites identified and developed will have their uniqueness and value in terms of aesthetic, natural, cultural and landscape characteristics which will be recognised and developed into a ecotourism product.”
The initiatives will include hiking, trekking, wildlife sighting, bird watching trails, boating, photography, visit to medicinal plants conservation area, local handicraft and promoting local festivals it added.
The Forest Department will be the nodal department for implementing the policy, it said, adding a special purpose vehicle (SPV), the State Ecotourism Board (SEB) will also be floated.
The Ecotourism policy will be reviewed after five years, the release said.
Pilgrim complex to come up at Tiruchendur at Rs 30.75 crore
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday announced the construction of pilgrim complex for the devotees visiting Tiruchendur Subramania Swamy Temple at a cost of Rs 30.75 crore. Reading out a statement in the House under Rule 110, he said 1,000 village temples would be given Rs 1 lakh each for renovation works. The government would also sanction Rs 10 crore to carry out consecration of thousand village temples in areas where SC and ST communities reside.
The assistance would be given for temples which do not come under the control of HR and CE Department, he said.
COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Rs 64 lakh to take student-members of National Green Corps and Ecology Club on an eco-tour in all 32 districts.
- Rs 1 crore to raise awareness on does and don’ts in ecologically significant coastal areas in 13 coastal districts of the state.
- Rs 39 lakh to conduct awareness on solid waste management through street theater in 13 coastal districts.
- Rs 30 lakh to award best awareness advertisements on environment protection.
- Rs 15 lakh to distribute Green Award to three recognised resident welfare associations each in the 15 zones of Chennai for environment protection.
- Rs 1.75 crore to grow saplings in Chennai suburbs under Urban Forest Programme and Rs 25 lakh to distribute free saplings.
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