Now, the people of Ganjam district have reasons to cheer since formation of a Mahatma Gandhi Eco Tourist Circuit is going to be a reality soon.
According to information available, augmentation of the historic tourist and pilgrim sites of coastal Ganjam is under consideration of the State Government in order to use tourist potential of the region for socio-economic development. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is reportedly keen to develop these historic sites with proper communication and tourist-friendly amenities to attract both national and international tourists to the region, sources said.
A sub-committee has been constituted by the State Government to oversee programme implementation to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The committee in its meeting held recently under chairmanship of State Culture Minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi has reportedly recommended to the Department of Tourism to establish the eco-tourism circuit comprising several historic tourist and pilgrim sites located in a radius of 20 km between Gopalpur and Chilka. Chhatrapur, Tampra, Potagada (on the Rushikulya mouth), Bateswar temple on the sea beach, Jhadeswar temple and water fall located at the foot of the Ranibar hills would be covered under the Mahatma Gandhi Eco-Tourist Circuit, which is considered as a befitting tribute to the father of the nation. Notably, Gandhi had visited Rambha Palace situated on the bank of Chilka lake between 1927and 1930.
The other members of the committee are State Revenue Minister Sudam Marndi, former Deputy Speaker and advisor to Odisha Agriculture Marketing Board Rama Chandra Panda, Congress MLA Tara Bahinipati, Secretary Culture Manoranjan Panigrahi and Director Culture Bijay Nayak.
It may be mentioned here that the proposal for the eco-tourist circuit was reportedly mooted by leader Rama Chandra Panda.
Meanwhile, the plan to develop the sites has been highly appreciated by the public. They have also demanded for inclusion of several other old tourist sites of the district such as Baruni Ghata of Lord Tumbeswar temple (Uttara banka) located on the bank of river Rushikullya at Pratappur, Narayani temple of Khallikote, Tara Tarini temple near Purushottampur, Goddess Satabhauni temple of Ganjam, Pancha Tatwa mutt at Alladigam village, Dakshina Kali and Ekambraswar temples in Jaleswarkhandi, famous Lord Dhadeswar and Ramachandi temple at Talaramapalli near Khallikote under the proposed project.