OOTY: Resumption of eco-tourism in the Avalanche jungles near here may take more time as foresters look forward for funds to repair and relay the battered jungle road to bring eco-tourism back on track.
The recent record breaking heavy rains in Avalanche did not cause any loss to life in the Avalanche limits, but the damage it caused to the jungle road is such that it instantly brought the eco-tourism being run by the forest department there to a halt.
It is a fact that the scenic Avalanche reserve forest area is a much sought after destination for naturalists as well as picnickers.
Eco-tourism, which has been here for more than four years now, is a hit with tourists as the forest department in coordination with the tribes in the region, had been conducting eco-tourism trips there.
Mostly jeeps and vans are used to take the tourists from the Avalanche base camp up to Bhavaniamman temple limits and the Lakadi peak limits, to enjoy the scenic wooded slopes interspersed with grasslands and reservoirs around. While this has brought revenue to the tribesmen involved in the eco-tourism project, the recent rains and landslides here turned everything upside down.
As the road which runs between Avalanche base camp and Lakadi peak stretch was damaged in many areas along the stretch, foresters are not in a position to operate eco-tourism trips.
Forest sources said that the department wrote to the higher-ups to recommend to the government to allot funds under flood relief to repair and re-lay the battered jungle road between Avalanche base camp and Lakadi peak junction, to resume eco-tourism to bring revenue to the local tribes there, who are part of the operation of eco-tourism trips.
