Coming up: Silk tourism in Janjgir Champa

BILASPUR: Kotmi Sonar, a small village in neighbouring Janjgir Champa district is soon going to have an added attraction besides the hugely popular crocodile park. A pilot project at Podi Dalha to promote silk production and eventually silk tourism in the area is in offing. An area of about 50 hectare has been earmarked for the project between Dalha hill and crocodile park.
Speaking to TOI, Bilaspur commissioner Sonmoni Borah informed that the main objective of this pilot project is to encourage self-helps groups, specially women who are engaged in cocoon production. The idea is to expand activities of these groups from just producing silk cocoons to reeling, weaving and designing silk fabrics with the help of National Institute of Handloom Technology in Champa.
At present, there are about 5,000 self-help groups engaged in silk cocoon production in Bilaspur division. “These include about 2,400 groups working in Raigarh district and the rest 2,600 in four silk producing districts of Janjgir Champa, Bilaspur, Korba and to some extent in Mungeli,” said Borah adding that the aim is to increase the number of such groups to at least 15,000 in three years.
The main reason behind selecting Podi Dalha is its proximity with crocodile park that has already become a popular tourist point and adventure tourism potential of Dalha hill, where adventure activities like trekking, cycling and mountaineering are to be promoted.
Presently the said area for silk production has degraded forest. Besides rejuvenation, large number of Arjun, Saal and other trees would be planted here. “Once these activities are taken up, combined with adventure offerings, a silk tourism circuit would be developed in the area,” said Borah. Similar projects would also be launched in other silk producing districts that include Raigarh, Korba, Bilaspur and Mungeli. “In the next three years, about 1,000 hectare of land would be so developed in all these districts,” added Borah.
At present, there are about 5,000 self-help groups engaged in silk cocoon production in Bilaspur division. These include about 2,400 groups working in Raigarh district
Sonmoni Borah | commissioner
Arjun.Chouhan @timesgroup.com