Telangana government has constituted a Consultative Committee with Forest Minister Konda Surekha as the chairperson to strengthen and streamline eco-tourism policy in the State.
According to orders issued on Thursday, the State government was considering identifying areas located in and around forest having ecotourism potential and to develop a holistic and sustainable eco-tourism policy. Ecotourism is one of the best tools for conservation of forests along with generating employment opportunities to the local communities dependent on forest, the orders said.
The 16-member committee will identify government lands falling outside forest areas i.e., irrigation and tribal welfare lands, suitable for ecotourism. It will also identify private lands in eco-sensitive zones for tourism purposes and suggest roles of TSFDC and Forest Department in proposed ecotourism sites in forest limits. It will also suggest business models for attracting investments, sponsorships and to foster private entrepreneurship.
Possibility of development of wildlife safaris in protected areas and other nature – adventure – tourism plans and preparing strategies to improve existing National Parks and Zoological Parks for improving tourism aspects are among the few other tasks mandated to the Committee by the State government, reported Telangana Today.
