Palaruvi ecotourism centre, which has remained shut for past several months post lockdown, was reopened after renovation and construction work on Sunday.
The centre now has some added attractions that include an eco-friendly entry gate and upgraded amenities at the nature study centre at Kaduvappara. While the food court near the waterfall got a facelift, hand railings were installed on the way and a waiting centre was constructed next to the ticket counter. The ₹84-lakh renovation works also include the construction of a stone pavilion near the waterfall.
ADVERTISEMENT
Protection of farms
“The Palaruvi ecotourism project was started in 2003 for providing job opportunities for the residents. The tourist destination that stands four km away from Kollam-Thirumangalam National Highway is accessible by foot or the visitors can travel by the mini-buses operated by Forest Department. As the inflow of visitors go up after the COVID-19-induced lull, the number of vehicles will be increased,” said Forest Minister K. Raju, who inaugurated the new projects at the centre. The Minister has also instructed the officials concerned to form squads under divisional forest officers to protect farmers and farms in the area from the attack of wild animals.
Other projects inaugurated include a pavilion built in memory of Thomas Fulton Bourdillon, a botanist and former Conservator of Forests in erstwhile Travancore and the e-service centre that offers IT services to the residents.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Minister also handed over the keys to newly built stores to persons who had been engaged in street vending near the entry gate. Aryankavu grama panchayat president Suja Thomas presided over the function while Anchal block panchayat president Radha Rajendran, member Lekha Gopalakrishnan, and district panchayat member K. Anilkumar were present on the occasion.