Tamil Nadu

Stress on eco-friendly tourism in Kotagiri

Udhagamandalam: Kotagiri, about 30 km from here, is rapidly emerging as a popular vacation destination. However, the development is being viewed with mixed feelings by various sections of society in the small and quiet hill station.

While the general feeling is that it will do a world of good to the economy of the area, badly hit by the prolonged crisis in the tea industry, senior citizens and green campaigners are of the view that only eco-friendly tourism should be promoted. Referring to its natural beauty and salubrious climate, they caution that if the ethos of the place is violated, the long-term consequences will be regrettable.

Members of the mercantile community say ever since the tea crisis turned the economy of Kotagiri topsy-turvy, they have been on the lookout for means to bail them out. The overwhelming response to the first ‘Vegetable Show’ organised at the Nehru park in Kotagiri recently by the district administration and the department of horticulture has also come as a shot in the arm for the local people.

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