Pathanamthitta (Keralam), Oct 20 Keralam Forest Minister Shibu Baby John on Tuesday said eco-tourism centres in the state would be made completely waste-free, with a strict ban on plastic and a gradual shift to electric vehicles.
“Plastic ban will be strictly enforced. The Forest Department will gradually switch to electric vehicles, and solar plants will be set up for this,”he said while interacting with plantation workers of the Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) in Gavi here.
The minister said tonnes of plastic waste had to be removed from forest areas visited by tourists, causing serious damage to the environment and the ecosystem.
Awareness would be created among tourists and locals to address the issue, he added.
John also assured the workers that their long-standing demand for regularising their employment in KFDC plantations would be addressed.
Renovation of workers’ residential quarters would be taken up in phases, with urgent steps to complete repair works in the first phase, he said.
A master plan would be prepared to modernise roads leading to Gavi using advanced methods to prevent damage during the rainy season, the minister said.
He said KFDC was introducing innovative tourism projects and that its workers would also be made part of these initiatives.
Projects such as Sholay and workation facilities would create opportunities for workers to earn additional income, he added.
K U Jenish Kumar MLA, APCCF (Social Forestry) Dr Pramod G Krishnan, Periyar Tiger Reserve Field Director P P Pramod, KFDC Managing Director Raju Francis and Divisional Manager Vishnu C G attended the programme.
(PTI News)
