Uttarakhand Government in its power will definitely try to bring in Choti Haldwani on the tourism map of the country. This was stated by State Finance Minister Indira Hridayesh while speaking at the conclusion of a three-day event marking the 100 years of Choti Haldwani founded by legendary Jim Corbett.
The Minister said the Government was working in close conjunction with the State Tourism Department to full its dream.
She said they (the Government) would do everything to enable the tourists coming to the Corbett Park to get detailed information about Jim Corbett’s personality and his legacy from the Jim Corbett Museum situated at the Kaladhungi.
Besides the Finance Minister, Forest Minister Dinesh Agarwal and labour Minister Harish Chandra Durgapal were present on the occasion.
Agarwal, while speaking on the occasion, said all the heritage buildings and sites bearing the legacy of the legend would be preserved by the Forest Department.
“We would provide all kinds of assistance to the Corbett Village Development Committee to keep alive the legacy,” he said. He further said Uttarakhand proud itself on its possession of huge tracts of forest.
“The State is contributing immensely to the preservation of the country’s environment thanks to the forest it has. We are giving the green bonus to the people of the State who are contributing their bits on this count,” he said, referring to the State Government giving Rs 300 to each for each tree planted. “We are now working on expanding the scope of forest development by linking it to dairy development,” he added.
He also said the Government was working to establish an international standard zoo at Haldwani. “Besides, the working plan to expand Nainital Zoo is being prepared. The scheme on making the Reptile Park in Dehradun will come up soon,” the Forest Minister added.
lauding Jim Corbett as an important icon of the world, Harish Chandra Durgapal said the work undertaken by him hundred years ago to conserve wildlife and develop villages was a beacon for them to follow. “Both wildlife and the forest villages are important from the developmental viewpoint and the development of both should go hand-in-hand to make things sustainable,” he said.
However, by way of a caution against villages being sought to be indiscriminately transformed into cities and towns, the eminent film actor hailing from the State, Tom Alter said the village Choti Haldwani founded by the Jim Corbett with a great vision should be spared the urbanisation initiative. “Peace that prevails here would be lost forever, something none of us can afford to allow,” he said.