Chief Minister Dr.K.Rosaiah has agreed to restrict the
collection of value addition and other charges being collected by the GHMC to
15% of the total project area under Eco-Tourism projects. He has directed the
Forest and Tourism officials to see that the local communities and poorer
sections get maximum benefit and income in all the eco-tourism projects.
The Chief Minister today reviewed the Eco-Tourism project
issues with the Minister for Forests Mr.P.Ramachandra Reddy and senior
officials concerned.
The A.P.Forest Development Corporation Ltd., is the
notified Nodal Agency to implement Eco-Tourism projects in Reserve Forests,
Wildlife sanctuaries, National Parks and zoological parks in the State. The
Forest officials informed the Chief Minister that the GHMC is taking into
account the entire area of the project and insisting on payment of various
municipal charges accordingly.
The building portions of all the Eco-tourism projects do
not exceed 15% of the total project area and such areas in reserved forests run
into several acres. Hence, they requested the Chief Minister to restrict the
development charges, betterment charges if any only to the build up area and
not to the whole project area.
The officials informed that in order to provide an
opportunity to the public to see and enjoy the nature with minimal impact on
the environment, the Forest department in coordination with the Tourism
department has taken up several Eco-Tourism projects like Kawal sanctuary in
Adilabad district; Farahabad in Srisailam; Hope Island in East Godavari,
Mangroves in Nizampatnam of Guntur district and Bird Park in Uppalapadu of
Guntur district. Works of these projects will commence by next year, they
said. Similarly projects at Boyakonda in Chittoor district, Mrigavani national
park at Gandipet to be taken up under PPP model are under pipeline.
The Eco-Tourism projects that are under implementation in
the outskirts of the city of Hyderabad are: (1) Sri Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy
Botanical Garden in Kothaguda Reserve Forests over an area of 51.83 Ha with an
out lay of Rs.189 crore. (2) Night Safari Park & Eco-Park in Kothaguda Reserve
Forest over an area of 45.61 Ha at an outlay of Rs.70.36 crore (3) Bird Park in
Kothaguda R.F. over an area of 12.43 Ha with an outlay of Rs.32.71 crore and
(4) JLTC Shamirpet project at Shamirpet over an area of 2.06 HA with an outlay
of Rs.1.20 crore.
Advisor to C.M.
Mr. P.K. Agarwal; Spl.C.S. to Govt., EFS&T dept., Mrs. Janaki R.Kondapi;
Prl.Secretary, M.A&U.D., Mr.T.S.Apparao; Secretary, Finance, Mr.E.Sekhar Babu;
Spl, Secretary Mr.K.R.Jayakumar; Secretary, Tourism, Mr.Jayesh Ranjan; VC&MD,
AP Forest Dev. Corpn, Mr.C.Siva Sankara Reddy and others were present.
