SERENE SURROUNDINGS: A view of a picturesque valley in Kodagu district.

MADIKERI: Developing tourism in Kodagu to boost its economy, otherwise dependent on coffee, has been the favourite rhetoric with the district administration, tourist operators, and tourism authorities.

No serious effort has gone into making Kodagu a commercially viable tourist destination, irrespective of opposition from some quarters that commercialism can spoil "God's own paradise".

Lethargy and lack of response have left the issue of tourism development in Kodagu remain only on paper.

Systemising trekking

The proposed moves of the Jungle Lodges and Resorts to systematise trekking in the chosen locations of the Western Ghats, appear to be the right decision to attract nature lovers to the district.

Trekking is seasonal. Leech-infested jungles are not accessible during monsoon or a couple of months after rains. The Jungle Lodges has reportedly asked the Forest Department here to prepare a plan to start trekking operations in a systematic manner.

The Jungle Lodges has asked the Forest Department to constitute village forest committees comprising villagers and Forest Department personnel in Naladi, Yavakapadi and Kunjila villages for popularising trekking in Kodagu.

The village forest committees will be entrusted with the job of organising trekking activities and booty shared by the Jungle Lodges and the village forest committees.

The hotel chain will provide facilities such as food, tents for stay, guides and their salaries. Food packets can be supplied to select locations. "We are finalising the plans soon," sources in the Forest Department said.

The Forest Department is looking for other places, which can be either Cherangala or Kopatti, towards Bhagamandala and another trekking spot towards the Kushalnagar side.

Safari

The Jungle Lodges-run elephant safari at the Dubare elephant camp is a popular tourist scheme. There are 13 elephants at the camp, which has accommodation for tourists.

The rafting in the Cauvery (subject to availability of water) is an added show at Dubare.

The Youth Hostel Association of India and certain other home stay operators organise trekking to select spots in the Western Ghats.

In the absence of Government-sponsored tourism and unresponsive private operators, home stay concept has become very popular in Kodagu.

However, home stay facilities could come under the scanner of the district administration in the coming days because some have started expressing reservations over their functioning. A small slip can put paid to the hopes of the home stay operators, who have not really organised themselves under one platform so far.

Island

The Forest Department has mooted the idea of developing yet another island on the lines of Cauvery Nisargadhama in Kushalnagar. It is most likely to invite private participation, subject to overall supervision by the department.

An initial expenditure of Rs. 25 lakhs will be needed to develop the island, sources noted.

Plans are on the anvil to add up a dormitory that can accommodate about 25 persons at Nisargadhama, the famous tourist spot in Kodagu.

Besides, two more deluxe cottages will be built there.

The department has received Rs. 18 lakhs for the purpose.

The sum, of course includes the recurring expenditure at Nisargadhama, which is around Rs. seven lakh, sources said.

The Revenue Department has agreed to provide two acres land to the forest department to construct a bus stand exclusively for the Nisargadhama tourists at the entrance.

This issue was being followed up in the right earnest.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail