Geyzing, Dec 4
The two day long eco-tourism festival commenced here at water garden of HeeGaon under Maneybung Dentam constituency. The festival organized on the theme ‘preserving nature and culture for the new millennium’ by Wildlife Division (West) and Directorate of Eco tourism is funded by ZICA.
Zilla Adhakshya (west), Devika Subba who was the chief guest of the opening day inaugurated the festival in presence of DFO (west) Nisha Subba and other officials from forest department.
The president of organizing committee K.B Bista informed that eco-tourism festival was organized with an aim of boosting tourism prospective of west Sikkim and also to preserve and protect ethnic cultural heritage of distinct Sikkimese communities. He said that tourism festival has been initiated in environment friendly way to ensure promotion of tourism sector of Sikkim in a better way.
Devika Subba in her address appreciated the effort put up by the organizing committee for promotion and development of tourism in west Sikkim. She expressed that exploration of tourism prospective through tourism based activities in west Sikkim is necessary as the western region has potential and resources to grow as a tourist destination. Describing the tourism sector of Sikkim as ever flourishing and backbone of state’s economy, Devika Subba stressed the need of promotion and development of the sector through collective participation of people. Subba further expressed that the government of Sikkim has worked tremendously well for development of tourism sector and that reflects in numerous tourism based schemes and projects initiated and executed by the state government. Saying that tourism sector could ensure an easy and respectable means of livelihood for people, Devika Subba added that tourism sector could be a gateway to employment opportunities for the people. “Promotion of tourism sector, exploring tourism potential of west Sikkim and participation of people for making the sector beneficial and far reaching depend upon the people”, she said.
Subba mentioned that Dentam constituency is gradually growing as a tourism hub due to responsible and constructive approach made towards development of tourism.
Traditional food stalls placed by different communities, cultural presentations and other tourism based activities are other attractions of the festival.
The open marathon from KalezKholaa, Dentam to Hee Bridge was also organized in men and women category. In men’s marathon Ashis Rai from first and Deepen Rai and Hemang Subba finished second and third respectively. Anila Bhutia came first while Uden Lepcha and Samjhana Gurung came second and third respectively in women’s category. The winners were given cash prizes and certificates.