Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority plan to revive Digha forests

The Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority has decided to plant a large number of casuarina trees along the coastline where such forests have depleted because of subsequent cyclones and felling of trees.

The lush forests of casuarina or jhow trees had attracted the Bengal government’s attention in the late 1950s, when it decided to develop Digha into a tourist destination. Such an attraction were the forests that they even inspired a song by Pintu Bhattacharya: “Cholona dighar soikot chere/ jhow boner chhaye chhaye (lets go from the Digha beach to the shadows of the jhow forest)”.

But over the years, the forests gradually depleted in many areas because of storm and theft of the trees for firewood. Following instruction from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority taken up the initiative to plant about one lakh jhow saplings every year to restore the beach to its glory. The Government wants to develop the lush forests again along the 20 km coastline from Digha to Mandarmani. Eventually, they will resemble the thick growth of coconut trees in Goa.

 

দিঘার প্রাকৃতিক সৌন্দর্য বিকশিত করতে অভিনব উদ্যোগ রাজ্য সরকারের

দিঘা-শঙ্করপুর উন্নয়ন কর্তৃপক্ষ উপকূল বরাবর বেশ কয়েকটি ঝাউ গাছ লাগানোর সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছে। ইতিমধ্যেই ঘূর্ণিঝড়ের কারণে অনেক গাছ পড়ে গেছে।

১৯৫০ সালের শেষের দিকে যখন দিঘাকে পর্যটন কেন্দ্র করার সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছিল রাজ্য সরকার তখনই এই ঘন ঝাউ বন সরকারের নজরে আসে। পিন্টু ভট্টাচার্যের একটি গান তাদের অনুপ্রাণিত করেছিল: “চল না দিঘার সৈকত ছেড়ে / ঝাউ বনের ছায়ে ছায়ে”।

কিন্তু কয়েক বছর ধরে, ঝড় ও চুরির কারণে অনেকগুলি এলাকায় এই ঝাউ বন ক্রমশ হ্রাস পেয়েছে। মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়ের নির্দেশে দীঘা-শঙ্করপুর উন্নয়ন কর্তৃপক্ষ সমুদ্র তটের গৌরব পুনরুদ্ধারের জন্য প্রতিবছর এক লাখ ঝাউ গাছ লাগানোর সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছে। দীঘা থেকে মন্দারমণি পর্যন্ত ২০ কিমি উপকূল এলাকার উন্নয়ন করতে চায় রাজ্য সরকার।

 

Affordable day-tour package for beach resorts around Digha by SBSTC

South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) has started an affordable tour package for those wishing to visit the popular beach resorts around Digha. The bus tour costs Rs 200 per person.

The day-trip covers popular places like Mandarmani, Tajpur, Shankarpur and Udaypur in West Bengal, and Talsari, Chandaneswar and Bichitrapur in Odisha.

According to SBSTC officials, the package has proved to be very popular, and so it has plans to increase the price slightly with some value additions like drinking water and dry food.

 

স্বল্প ব্যয়ে দিঘা ভ্রমণ চালু করল রাজ্য সরকার

রাজ্য পর্যটন বিভাগ একটি বিশেষ প্যাকেজ চালু করেছেন দিঘার জনপ্রিয় বিচ রিসর্টগুলি ভ্রমনের জন্য। এই সফরে প্রত্যেকের জন্য খরচ হবে মাথাপিছু ২০০ টাকা।

এই ভ্রমণ প্যাকেজে দর্শনের জন্য থাকছে কয়েকটি উল্লেখযোগ্য স্থান। যেমন – পশ্চিমবঙ্গের মন্দারমনি, তাজপুর, শঙ্করপুর, উদয়পুর এবং ওড়িশার তালসারি, চন্দনেশ্বর এবং বিচিত্রপুর।

পর্যটন বিভাগের আধিকারিকদের মতে, এই প্যাকেজটি খুব তাড়াতাড়ি জনপ্রিয় হয়েছে মানুষদের মধ্যে। পরকিল্পনা অনুযায়ী, খরচের পরিমান কিছুটা বাড়িয়ে দেওয়া হবে এবং সঙ্গে পানীয় জল এবং কিছু শুকনো খাবার প্যাকেজে যুক্ত করা হবে।

 

Work on to make Digha more attractive tourist destination: WB CM

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that the beach town Digha and its surrounding areas would soon appear as beautiful tourist attraction with the agencies working on it to give it a shape.

WB CM, who arrived here on Monday evening, walked along the beach, visited various spots and held an administrative meeting today with the officials in the district and local civic bodies to discuss about the development of this beach town as part of the coastal area development plan.

The chief minister also launched the helicopter service from Digha to Kolkata today before returning to Kolkata by helicopter.

The new helipad at Digha would allow chopper rides from Kolkata to Digha. Alongside a chopper ride, there would also be a ropeway launched at Amarbati Park in Digha for tourists.

The ropeway will move along the Lake in Amarabati Park. The length of the ropeway has been estimated to be of 150 to 200 meters and tourists would also be able to get a larger view of Digha from the ropeway.

The Government is in touch with the coastal zone authorities to work out the modalities of the bigger ropeway project, which would move over the beach between Old and New Digha.

The state government has been working to develop the coastal areas of Digha, Shankarpur, Tajpur and Mandarmani as attractive tourist destinations.

The chief minister also directed the officials in the district and local civic bodies to ensure that the roads were maintained, beaches kept clean, beautification schemes undertaken and solid waste management programme kept in place.

The Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority (DSDA) has already taken up overall civic infrastructure development of the entire area.

New tourist attractions at Digha

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee is going to unveil several new tourist attractions in Digha that would add to the appeal of this beach-town.

WB CM will inaugurate the new helipad at Digha which will facilitate chopper rides from Kolkata to Digha. She will also launch a ropeway for tourists at Amarabati Park in Digha.

The ropeway will move along the Lake in Amarabati Park. The length of the ropeway has been estimated to be of 150 to 200 meters and tourists will also be able to get a larger view of Digha from the ropeway.

The Government is in touch with the coastal zone authorities to work out the modalities of the bigger ropeway project, which will move over the beach between Old and New Digha.

Following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s instructions, the state government has been working to develop the coastal areas of Digha, Shankarpur, Tajpur and Mandarmani as attractive tourist destinations. The Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority (DSDA) was working at sprucing up the overall civic infrastructure of the area like setting up roads, keeping the beaches clean, revamping the drainage system and having a solid waste management programme in place. A beautification programme was also undertaken.

WB Govt planning for coastal tourism circuit development in a big way

The West Bengal State Tourism department has come up with a Rs 123-crore coastal tourism circuit development plan. The coastal circuit plan envisages a total tourism infrastructure development plan along the state’s coastal border from Old Digha to Fraserganj, including New Digha, Udaypur, Shankarpur, Tajpur, Mandarmani, Bakkhali and Henry Islands.The proposed coastal tourism circuit plan will be discussed with the union tourism ministry.

According to the plan, beach and local area beautification plans will be taken up in all the coastal places. Highmast lights, tourist amenity centres, parking facilities and an eco-trail along the seaside pathway with provisions for seating will be set up in the state’s coastal area as a part of the project.

The Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority has already started working to develop the coastal areas within its limits. A welcome gate has been installed at Digha and the beaches have been spruced up with beautification and civic infrastructure projects.

The Sate wants to develop tourist facilities, such as parking with gazebo, beach side seating arrangements lifeguard towers, toilet blocks and cloak rooms in Tajpur and Mandarmani. Establishment of house boats has also been planned at the creek between Tajpur and Mandarmani.

Proper beach connectivity from the proposed marine drive along the coastal belt will also be developed with illumination, parking spaces and tourist facilities. Water sports have also been planned along the beaches.

Tourism infrastructure will be spruced up particularly in Henry Islands, Fraserganj and Bakkhali. A nature interpretation centre has been planned at Henry Islands. The State is already working to develop Gangasagar and to start off a nature trail at Jambudwip.

Big garbage bins of 50 litre carrying capacity will be placed at various points on the beaches to keep the areas clean. Garbage compactor machines will also be used for waste management. The Government also wants to provide wi-fi connectivity at the tourist places.