Karnataka Eco-Tourism Development Board all set to roll-out ambitious initiatives

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Bangalore, June 11, 2013:

Karnataka Eco-Tourism Development Board, a registered society under the Forest Department, Government of Karnataka, exclusively set up to nurture & promote eco-tourism in an organised manner across the State, is all set to finalize eco-tourism strategy and announce guidelines to roll out ambitious initiatives envisaged to make Karnataka a preferred eco-tourism hub.

As a first step in this direction, the Board and Karnataka Forest Department jointly organised a one-day conference titled “Eco Tourism Policy and Guidelines” here today.

The conference was inaugurated by Mr. Ramanath Rai, Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, while Mr. R Sridharan, Principal Secretary, Department of Forests, Ecology and Environment, presided over the conference and Mr. A C Lakshman, Former Secretary, Government of Karnataka, delivered the keynote address.

Representatives from the forest department including Mr. B K Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and HOFF, Mr. Dipak Sarmah, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Mr. Anur Reddy,

Managing Director, Jungle Lodges and Resorts, Mr. Vinay Luthra, CEO, Karnataka Ecotourism Development Board, Mr. Vijay Mohan Raj, Additional CEO Karnataka Ecotourism Development Board and travel & tourism sector attended the conference.

While Ecotourism seems to be a great solution to help balance the degrading ecology, it is pointed out that negative impacts of nature tourism appear when the principles of Ecotourism are ignored. In the absence of any controls, ecotourism can degenerate into mass tourism, causing irreversible damage to the environment, forests, wildlife and local culture. Which is why, Karnataka’s Forest Department and Eco Tourism Development Board are stepping in to play the role of facilitator and regulator in order to achieve the positive aspects of Ecotourism, and control the negatives.

According to Mr. Vinay Luthra, CEO, Karnataka Ecotourism Development Board, Karnataka which has been a leader in eco-tourism in the country through Jungle lodges and Resorts, should not allow eco-tourism to deteriorate into mass tourism in forest areas, hence a body like KEDB to monitor, facilitate and regulate Ecotourism is required.

It may be noted that Karnataka Forest Department has been a pioneer in Wildlife and Ecotourism with its active participation in the formation of Jungle Lodges & Resorts (JLR) chain of resorts offering wildlife, eco  and adventure tourism in India, under the Tourism Department. Since 1993 the Management of JLR has also been under the Officers of the Indian Forest Service. As a result of the joint participation of the Forest  Department and the Tourism Department, JLR has become a great success and has become a role model for Forest Departments across the country.

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