Bengal govt identifies gardens for Tea Tourism

Kolkata, Oct 17 (UNI) In an effort to woo large scale foreign tourists to North Bengal, the state government has identified one tea garden in Darjeeling for developing it as the main centre of tea tourism by next year.

This was announced by West Bengal Town and country Planning minister Ashok Bhattacharya while speaking to reporters after addressing the members of Indian Chambers of Commerce (ICC) here today.

Referring to the new initiative of the government to boost the tourism industry which has tremendous potential because of its rich flora, fauna and picturesque countryside, Mr Bhattacharya said since some tea gardens in north Bengal were passing under severe financial crunch, they had decided to develop some of them as the centre for tea tourism by providing travelling support system.

He said the unique tourism hub would not only attract travellers from home and abroad but also provide economic activity to the local people.

''For this purpose we have so far identified the Champta Tea garden in Darjeeling district having an area of 73 acres as the first such centre'', Mr Bhattacharya said and informed the government was now looking for the right partner from private sector industries to help develop it as an attractive tourist destination by next year.

''As part of the project we plan to set up modern and comfortable accomodation facitilities within the garden besides establishing good road connectivity and other infrastructural and entertainment facilities like a small 12 hole golf course and a swimming pool'', he said. The fund for which would be provided by the parivate partners, the minister added.

Following the success of this experiment, more such gardens would be developed for furthering the concept of Tea Tourism in the state, Mr Bhattacherya said adding that efforts were also on to include conducted tours for holiday makers to the surrounding forests and to the mountain trails of the Himalayas.

Incidentally, the state government in its bid to promote tourism in the state was actively considering to develop the Sunderbans in south Bengal as the centre for Eco-Tourism under Public-Private partnership.

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