Kerala to get separate Directorate of Eco-Tourism

The Kerala government is mulling setting up an exclusive directorate to tap the potentials of eco-tourism in state forests and to bring such initiatives under one roof.

Forest Minister A K Saseendran informed the Assembly that as many as 60 eco-tourism centres are currently operating in various forests across the state.

All those centres were functioning in a nature-friendly manner and in accordance with the Forests and Wildlife Acts, Tiger Conservation Plan and Working and Management Plans, he said during the Question and Answer session.

The minister said steps are being taken to set up a separate eco-tourism directorate as per the recommendations by the Assembly subject committee.

The objective of the proposed directorate is to tap the potentials of eco-tourism in forests and expand and coordinate its activities.

''As an initial step to the formation of the Eco-tourism Directorate, an order has been issued appointing a special officer, according to the subject committee recommendations in this regard,'' Saseendran said.

It is viewed that it would be beneficial to bring the operation of eco-tourism centres and the tourism initiatives in state forests under the new Directorate, he added.

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