The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Forest Dept. plans eco tourism fest

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 07, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Forest Dept. plans eco tourism fest

Correspondent

Focus to be on protection of hill forests

The festival to begin on
November 10
It will be organised for 116 days

Kakinada: The Forest Department in cooperation with NGOs and other government agencies has planned to organise ‘eco tourism festival’ for 116 days from November10, according to B. Ananda Mohan, District Forest Officer. “The major thrust is on forest conservation in East Godavari district highlighting the nature’s beauty that remain unexplored and unexploited all these years. The tribal culture, their way of life and their participation in the development of eco tourism will be focused,” he said while talking to newsmen here on Thursday.

He said the festival would also focus the attention of visitors on the need for protecting the hill forests for the sake of people in the plain areas. It would also highlight the involvement of tribals in eco tourism projects for serving the two- fold purpose of tribal empowerment and forest conservation.

He said World Bank expert Grant Milne, during his just-concluded visit to Maredumilli, could not hide his appreciation for the wonderful eco tourism project and remarked: “It is a world class facility for foreign tourists and indeed an excellent place and a novel project of tribal community participation.”

Mr. Mohan said that the festival would start with the opening of a girijan cultural mela at Maredumilli.

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