Eco-tourism project on anvil in Canacona
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CANACONA, SEPT 26
With State’s tourism mainly limited to beaches and religious places with little or no hope to expand further, the days are now literarily numbered for the people looking at different tourism avenues, as a harmonious and most prolific eco-tourism project is on the anvil in the hinterlands of Canacona taluka.
The Eco and Organic Tourism Project as it is basically called, will be in the likes of internationally acclaimed ‘Shilp-Gram’ situated at Udaipur-Rajasthan. The project is taking its shape at Cotigao under the aegis of Balram Gram Vikas Saunstha.
Preliminary works on the project is already taken up and outlined in a sprawling land admeasuring about 1 lakh sq mtrs under Poinguinim MLA Ramesh Tawadkar, who is president of Balram Gram Vikas Saunstha, which was launched recently on the occasion of his birthday.
The entire required land for the project is taken up from Tawadkar’s family with the blessings of family elders and if Tawadkar is to be believed, more donors offering their surrounding land for the project have reportedly come to the saunstha.
Involving every other stakeholders, including government departments, the working unit has engineers, architects, educationists, cultural artists, traditional artisans, botanists, museum-water sports-adventure sports experts, etc, amongst several others.
The team already had its one of several intended study tours and recently visited ‘Shilp-Gram’ Udaipur and got apprised of various pros and cons of that project, which came up in one year’s time during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure at New Delhi.
In the second meeting of the working committee on Sunday, which incidentally took place at the proposed site of Eco-Tourism project at Cotigao, different sectional live presentations were given by the team leaders and invited suggestions and corrections.
Over 200 people having interests in various manners took part in the meeting.
The meeting was presided over by writer Kamlakar Mhalshi, while Balram Saunstha Secretary Devendra Tawadkar presented previous meeting report.
Speaking on the occasion, Poinguinim MLA Tawadkar said every government authority, which will matter in the project, was consulted, as this will be an exclusive and first project in the entire State.
He also explained various factors and assignment, what individuals had to attain in the days to come. He assured that money will never be a thing of concern, as the project has full government backing and support.
Engineer Govind Gawade gave his point of view and pointed out drawbacks of Udaipur’s ‘Shilp-Gram’, which will be overcome at Cotigao’s project.
Architect Jayesh Phadte sought maximum suggestions and views from the concerned sections and promised to present it in his paper so that the Eco and Organic Tourism project becomes an attractive project for the visitors and tourists.
