Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Jan 05: A group of four local youths from Diglipur and Port Blair Islands have done something, which the Administration has failed to do all these years. These greatly committed and highly motivated youths have now taken up initiatives to put the Diglipur Island in world tourism map. Not just this, these youths plan a sustained and self-sufficient tourism model for Diglipur Island, so that everyone in the Island can reap the benefits of tourism boom in Diglipur.
“Diglipur has several promising but lesser known tourist sites. Among them Ross and Smith Islands, chain of nearly 130 Mud Volcanos in Shyam Nagar, Turtle Nesting at Kalipur, Ramnagar beach and Alfred Caves (nearly 30 in numbers) have the highest potential to attract large number of tourists. We want Administration to take some serious steps to promote these spots and create basis infrastructure for tourists,” Axex Rajan, the General Secretary of Diglipur Association for Rural Tourism and Ecological Development (DARTED) told Andaman Sheekha today.
The team consisting of Alex Raja, General Secretary, D J Venkatesh, Vice President, Bibhas Kumar Biswas, Jt. Secretary and Mr. Uttam Kumar Saha, President of DARTED, is presently visiting Port Blair and knocking doors of every top officer of A & N Administration to sensitize them about the Tourism Potential of Diglipur Island.
“We demand regular vessels (night sailing) for Diglipur Island from Port Blair and some of these vessels should be sent via Havelock Island, so that tourists don’t have to come all the way to Port Blair and travel to Diglipur. We also want entry fee waiver for entry in Ross and Smith and Saddle Peak, which is excessively high at present. A & N Islands Wild Life (Protection) Rules 2008 has provided for various kinds of fees payable under Rules 17, 18 and 19 and also empower Lt. Governor under Sub-Rule 19(d) of the said rules to give exemption from such fees. Such exemption can provide a positive incentive for tourism promotion in North Andaman,” Mr. Rajan added.
Meanwhile the team has already put some efforts on the grounds like putting signboard on the route of Diglipur Mud Volcano, taking officials to Lime Stone caves etc.
According to these youths, if promoted properly tourism industry can easily provide employment to thousands of youths in North and Middle Andaman and boost the economy.
Hope these efforts will be suitably acknowledged by the Administration and decision makers will take some serious steps for the Tourism Transformation of Diglipur Islands.
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