KANNUR: For the first time, the district administration is conducting watersports. The District Tourism Promotion Council's (DTPC) expedition in Kattampally River will be held on Sunday in association with JellyFish, a Kozhikode-based watersports logistics and training agency. The event, in two sessions, is aimed at promoting eco-friendly tourism and conservation of water bodies. The expedition is between Kattampally and Valapattanam in single or tandem kayaks. The district administration is on a drive to clean and maintain rivers and promote watersports to accelerate tourist arrivals.
Recently, collector Mir Mohammed Ali had undertaken kayaking on Perumba, Kattampally and Kavvayi rivers to assess their condition and scopes. Large scale waste dumping in rivers is posing enormous ecological and health threats in Kannur, and it affects mangrove vegetation badly, damaging the rich biodiversity. Kannur possesses more than 80 percent of Kerala's mangrove forests. Mr Ali said the district had a huge potential for water tourism.
"When one paddles through flowing waters with great effort to experience mangroves and its rich ecosystem from up close, we create permanent memories of these nature's bounties," he told DC. "We need to understand rivers are part of our very existence and using it well is the need of the hour." Based on the demand, the administration is planning to conduct more such expeditions. There are also plans to start water sports events in Perumba and Kavvayi backwaters.
