The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Viewpoints heighten mystique of hills

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 28, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Viewpoints heighten mystique of hills

S. Harpal Singh

These structures provide a grandstand view of the excellent natural beauty around that otherwise remains hidden

Vantage spot: The valley as seen from the viewpoint on Kerameri ghat in Adilabad district.

ADILABAD: In a district like Adilabad where hills and forests abound, the role of viewpoints at places of high altitude have a special relevance with respect to nature or eco tourism. These structures provide a grandstand view of the excellent natural beauty around that otherwise remains hidden.

The taller among the Sahayadri hills in Adilabad district rise up to a height of over 1,500 ft above the mean sea level. These heights naturally descend into valleys and undulating terrain that remains green for almost eight months in a year and makes for some great sights.

Dilapidated state

There are six viewpoints at various places from where nature can be viewed. The 30-foot tall ones on Mahabub ghat, about 68 km from Adilabad on the NH 7 and Kerameri ghat, about 85 km from Adilabad on the Utnoor-Asifabad road, are sadly in a dilapidated state and need urgent repairs. The remaining four are watchtowers present inside the Kawwal wildlife sanctuary near the waterholes. Animals can be watched from these viewpoints in their natural habitat. The towers at Dostgaon, Udumpur and Kalpakunta have a cabin-like facility that can be locked from inside in order to make the watcher secure from wild animals. Some animals like wild bears can actually climb that height.

Maintenance

“More viewpoints can be set up at places of higher altitude in Kuntala and Pochera that have two picturesque waterfalls.

There are also high hills in Lokari and Gadiguda in Narnoor mandal where towers can be set up to facilitate people to watch nature in all its splendour,” opined Adilabad Divisional Forest Officer T.P. Thimma Reddy.

In view of the importance of the viewpoints, there is need for making special allocations for their maintenance. The viewpoints will also have to be protected from vandals, opined officials.

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