TIRUNELVELI
With the Tamil Nadu Government planning to convert tourism industry into a remunerative one, existing and upcoming tourism spots in the district will get desirable and sufficient facelift, Cumbum N. Eramakrishnan, chairman, Tamil Nadu Assembly Committee on Papers laid on the table of the House, has said.
Addressing the reporters here on Wednesday, he said the State government which was giving top priority for tourism promotion in the State to attract more visitors and make this industry lucrative, had proposed to create better facilities in all tourist spots across the State. The Koonthankulam birds sanctuary, which had been declared as ‘Ramsar Site’ by the Union Government recently, would get more facilities as the State Government had decided to make it a major tourist spot for the bird watchers and the students.
The hitherto neglected park near Manimuthar Dam, which was attracting tourists round the year, would soon get ‘Eco Park’ with tourists-friendly amenities, Mr. Eramakrishnan said.
Work on the much-awaited museum for showcasing the ‘Porunai Civilization’, the ancient civilization that thrived along the Tamirabharani watercourse 3,000 years ago, would commence on Tirunelveli outskirts shortly. The proposed museum would be a major attraction for the visitors as it would tell the world the Tamil’s 3,000-year-old civilization.
In Courtallam in Tenkasi district, development works would be carried out on an outlay of Rs. 14 crore after getting the government’s nod.
He lauded Tirunelveli district administration’s efforts in resurrecting the neglected irrigation channels and the water bodies across the district under its ‘Nellai Neervalam’ initiative, which is being executed with public participation.
“The Tirunelveli district administration, which is reviving the hitherto neglected water bodies, has desilted the feeder channels of Maanur Periyakulam to ensure water for irrigating over 5,000 acres of land in this area. Moreover, the removal of encroachments and the revival of irrigation channels have ensured free flow of water into 99 irrigation tanks under the Hanuman River in Radhapuram taluk,” Mr. Eramakrishnan said..
Since the State Government was according due attention for increasing food grain production, 8.52 crore kilogram paddy had been procured in Tirunelveli district by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation from10,232 farmers during last fiscal, he said.
As the Committee discussed in detail about the business transactions of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and Department of Tourism, Mr. Eramakrishnan asked the TNCSC officials to submit the accounts for 2020 – 2021 before the Assembly session in November.
District Collector V. Vishnu said an aquarium would be established on District Science Centre premises on an outlay of Rs. 5 crore and the ongoing work on restoring the ‘Maedai Police Station’, a heritage structure, would be completed within 2 weeks.
“With the upcoming tourist attractions like ‘Porunai Museum’, ‘Eco Park’ at Manimuthar Dam and attractive features at Koonthankulam Birds Sanctuary, Tirunelveli district will become a much sought-after tourists destination and find permanent place in the tourism map within next two years,” Mr. Vishnu said.
District Forest Officer Murugan, Assembly Additional Secretary Ravichandran, Palayamkottai MLA M. Abdul Wahab, Mayor P.M. Saravanan and senior officials participated in the meeting.
