Bid to make Dalma popular tourist hub

JAMSHEDPUR: Soon tourists visiting the Dalma sanctuary can walk on the especially built natural trail to reach the exclusively constructed thatched huts with natural surroundings. With a view to making Dalma sanctuary a popular tourist place, the wildlife division of the forest department has planned an eco-tourism project which will come up at Maklakocha village, the entry point to the natural habitat- in the next couple of months.
The project that is being carried out under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme will come up on 1.5 hectares of land. "The purpose behind the eco tourism is to bring the people close to nature and educate them about the merits of conserving natural habitat," said divisional forest officer, wildlife division, Dalma sanctuary, Kamlesh Pandey.
The project, which is coming up with the joint effort of forest and tourism department, aims to attract tourists and at the same time generate employment to the unemployed villagers residing in about 90 villages within the jurisdiction of the sanctuary.
The Eco Development Committees (EDCs) of the villages will be able to generate modest money in lieu of services to the visiting tourists. EDC volunteers will guide the tourists to various spots in the forest cover and will set up food stalls where local flavours will be available and separate kiosks carrying tribal handicrafts made by the local artisans will be put on sale.
"We will also put up a computerized touch screen machine at the eco center," said Pandey adding the touch screen will have a collection of wildlife information. "It will cost about Rs 1.5 lakh," said Pandey. Along with the huts, a moderate size kitchen will also be built where quality food of various tastes will be served to the tourists on order. Some officials in the department, however, said though the exercise is on to promote Dalma as tourist hub, an effective vigilance system needs to be there to prevent tourists from getting close to wild animals.
"We apprehend villagers (EDC) in greed for money may deviate from the standard operating procedure and take tourists closer to wild animals. We, therefore, need to have an effective vigilance system in place ahead of launching the eco tourism project," said an official of the wildlife division.