The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : “Spice tourism centre to be opened shortly”

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Sunday, Jul 11, 2010
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

“Spice tourism centre to be opened shortly”

Staff Reporter

Attraction:A.C. Mohan Das (left), Director for Tourism, inspecting a stall at the summer festival at Highwavys in Theni district on Saturday.

HIGHWAVYS (THENI): A major spice tourism centre developed at Kurangani village on the Western Ghats will be thrown open for tourists shortly, A.C. Mohan Das, Director for Tourism has announced.

Inaugurating a two-day summer festival here on Saturday, he said that the Department of Tourism had almost completed all the works. It would be opened soon.

(Kurangani hills, one of the major spice producing centres in the district, was identified in 2007 to be converted into a major spice tourism centre at an estimated cost of Rs.70 lakh under a special scheme of the Tourism Department of the Central government.)

The Tourism Department had taken up 18 lesser known tourists spots in the State this year to be popularised among tourists. All required facilities would be created in these tourists spots. Last year, it had taken up 18 lesser known tourist spots and their development works was in full swing. With these, 36 spots were being developed, he added.

Explaining the future plans for Highwavys, the Director said that trekking for tourists and students would begin on Highwavys and Megamalai hills in 20 days. “We will send the permission letter in this connection immediately.”

The Theni district administration had sent proposals for the development of Vaigai dam as a prime tourist spot at an estimated cost of Rs.6.49 crore.

Besides, proposals at an estimated cost of Rs.6 crore for the development of other tourist spots in the district had also been sent for approval, he pointed out.

In his address, Special Representative for Tamil Nadu in New Delhi, P. Selvendran, alleged that many development works could not be taken up in Highwavys owing to poor cooperation from the estate authorities.

Collector P. Muthuveeran worried that even basic amenities could not be provided to estate workers owing to the poor response from estate owners. Inordinate delay in getting consent from estate authorities affected development activities, he said.

Superintendent of Police V. Balakrishnan, District Revenue Officer R. Brinda Devi spoke.

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