Tourism secretary Sudarshan Pal Thakur. Telegraph picture

With the curtain set to go up on the Konark dance festival which starts tomorrow, Shilpi Sampad and Subhashish Mohanty spoke to state tourism secretary Sudarshan Pal Thakur

The Konark Dance Festival begins on December 1. Every year, we see banners and hoardings come up at least a month in advance. But this time, you seem to have gone a bit low-key with the promotions. What is the reason?

This is because we slightly delayed the process. This time, we will have a total of 10 troupes showcasing various forms of classical dances of the country. Simultaneously, artists from five countries will take part in the sand art festival on the Chandrabhaga beach.

Phailin wreaked large-scale devastation in the state, affecting the tourism industry greatly. How is the government rising up to the challenge?

The cyclone was tackled in the most competent way. So, the scale of destruction was not too large. Some tourist complexes were destroyed, but the overall situation was not as bad as it has been reported.

But Gopalpur town in Ganjam, a hot spot for tourists, has indeed been severely affected…

Yes, it was affected. A couple of cottages, which we had there, got damaged. But, the main building (Panthanivas) is intact. A private hotel is also running smoothly. Everything is functioning the way it should.

Do you think tourism will really get a boost with Biju Patnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar getting the “international” tag? Can the state attract sufficient number of foreign visitors round the year?

If you are on the international aviation map, it is a boon. It is also important that we develop infrastructure in all the tourism-worthy places. People want to visit all kinds of places, so we have to provide them options and develop the set-up accordingly.

Odisha has a rich concentration of Buddhist heritage at several places, which can draw tourists from south Asian countries. But, why does the government not go beyond the Golden Triangle – Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark?

We have to admit that the Golden Triangle is the most attractive zone for tourists. We are trying to include more destinations in the zone. At the same time, we are working on some proposals from collectors in northern and western districts.

We are also trying to promote the state as a Buddhist destination. Sites such as Ratnagiri-Lalitgiri have a rich history, richer than that of Nalanda as some experts have told me. However, they are yet to be exploited to their full potential. Recently, we handed over the tourist complex in Langudi, Jajpur, to the Tibetans of Chandragiri to use it for propagating Buddhism.

A “human safari” controversy over semi-nude dance by members of a primitive tribal group in Malkangiri had prompted the state government to impose restrictions on the entry of outsiders in tribal hamlets. Considering the popularity of tribal tourism in Odisha, how has the tourism industry suffered here following the restrictions?

It has not really suffered on that account. Tribal people have a certain lifestyle that must be respected and protected.

Puri is the busiest tourist spot in the state. Beach cleanliness remains a challenge for the administration. What is being done about it?

We have some plans that will be implemented in the near future.

Are you taking any steps to check cases of drowning in sea at Puri?

We are in talks with the Rashtriya Life Saving Society for their services with regard to beach safety. We hope something will be worked out.

There have already been scores of lifeguards deployed on the beach. Have they not been effective?

They are our people but somehow we have not been able to supervise or strictly prevent (drowning cases) the way we should have. But we are hopeful of improving the situation within a month.

Panthanivas properties of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation are said to be making heavy losses. What are your plans to revive their business?

We have decided to transfer most of them to private players since we have not been able to run them.

Your department has signed MoUs with several private organisations, including deposit collection companies. How do you plan to keep dubious individuals and organisations at bay?

When you advertise for a project seeking private partnership, you cannot stop somebody from applying. Sometimes, after they are selected, we find that they are dubious and cancel the deal immediately. The government is very particular about this.

A string of projects have been announced in the past couple of years such as an oceanarium along the Puri-Konark marine drive or houseboats on the Chilika lake, but they are yet to be executed. Why this delay?

We need to liaison with other departments and executing agencies to complete the work.

As the managing director of the Haryana Tourism Development Corporation, you launched several innovative projects to boost that state’s tourism activity. What are your plans for Odisha?

Haryana has gone for highway tourism a big way. Incidentally, that was conceptualised and promoted by an Odia IAS officer there in the 70s and 80s. Odisha, on the other hand, has great tourism potential. You name it and we have it.

But then we all talk big. So, my idea is to start conceptualising what is to be done. In the next two or three months, you will see some interesting proposals unfolding before you.