Daya river with the Dhauli hill in the the background. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, July 1: The state government has planned a major eco-tourism hub near the Dhauli peace pagoda, eight kilometers from the city.

Details of the plan were revealed to The Telegraph soon after chief minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the 62nd Van Mahotsav here today at the Unit II Government Girls’ High School.

Giving details of the plan, forest and environment minister Debi Prasad Mishra said that the project would be jointly executed by the tourism and forest departments on 76 acres near the Dhauli hill with plantation also to be undertaken along the banks of river Daya.

The plantation would include waterlogging resistant species such as karanj, jamun, phashi, sishoo and hinjal. The plantation site would also create space for artisans to display and sell their wares.

The minister said ongoing construction activities along the historic Daya had been kept in mind.

“We have to create a green belt from Pandra-end of Daya river to the peace pagoda and beyond. The avenue plantation from the Dhauli Square to the foothill has been completed,’’ he added.

He also hinted at the possibility of tourism department creating another project called Dhauli Peace Park around the historic complex. He said there would be two beautiful pathways, eco-tourism activities, renovation of the nearby lake, development of a parking area, construction of a restaurant atop the Panthika building and a multi-media centre in public-private partnership near the spot.

Ekamra MLA Ashok Panda said once the area from the bank of Daya to the surroundings of the peace pagoda atop the Dhauli Hill was developed, people, particularly youths, of the city could have a nice weekend destination.

“As the city is growing to end up as a concrete jungle, the development of more and more eco-tourism complexes around Bhubaneswar will help future generations,’’ he observed.

The minister also added that more eco-tourism projects were coming up near the city at the Chandaka-Dampara Sanctuary and they would be ready within months.

Speaking on the occasion environment and forests secretary Aurobinda Behera said 100 schools from across the state were selected to undertake similar plantation programmes like the Unit II Girls’ High School where 500 saplings would be planted on the campus.

Hinting at plantation of 5.8 crore saplings in the state this year, he also added that 32 lakh saplings would be planted on July 7.

The chief minister also felicitated a vana samrakshyana samiti (VSS) from Balasore district for its contribution towards afforestation and conservation measures to save forests. The members of Naranpur Vana Samrakshyana Samiti were given an award of Rs 1 lakh. He also distributed prizes to students who participated in several competitions on the occasion of the mahotsav.

The environment minister also said that the state government has decided that a person planting trees on his own land would now be entitled to get a tree passbook where the details regarding tree types would be recorded.