UNWTO Selects Chilika as Global Site

A major birding site of India, Chilika has been selected by United National World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) as one of the eight global sites for development of sustainable tourism and livelihood of local community to maintain its status as a destination for the migratory birds.

Under the project “Destination Flyways”, the UN arm will help Chilika Development Authority (CDA) develop strategies for protection of migratory birds through creation of innovative tourism and livelihood products with funding support from Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany.

Sites in Germany, Senegal, Egypt, Tanzania, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea and China along four major flyways including the East-Atlantic, West-Asian-East African, Central Asian and East Asian Australasian have also been narrowed down by UNWTO under the initiative.

Chilika, the only site in Asia to be selected, was strongly recommended by six international agencies such as Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity, Convention of Migratory Species, Ramsar Convention Secretariat, World Heritage and Man and the Biosphere Programmes of UNESCO.

The UN body’s arm on tourism and bio-diversity will assist in development and implementation of strategies and projects linking sustainable tourism and livelihood resources.

A mission team of UNWTO led by Virginia Trapa and Dr Taej Mundkur met top brass of Union Ministry of Tourism and State Tourism Department last week. They also visited Chilika where they held discussion with CDA’s Chief Executive Ajit Patnaik on the management of the lagoon.

The mission team also interacted with reformed bird hunters who are conducting the tourists for bird watching at Mangalajodi, Patnaik said. They took stock of the tourism scenario and met the boatmen’s association at Barkul as well as Rambha before visiting Nalabana Bird Sanctuary.

“The team appreciated the conservation measures undertaken by CDA and the initiatives for promotion of community-based ecotourism in and around the lagoon. This would boost the image of the lake and promote responsible tourism. The lake would also be connected to global network and branding,” Patnaik said.

Currently, the CDA is developing a ecotourism master plan under the World Bank-aided Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project. This season, about 7.19 lakh birds thronged the 1100-sq km lagoon.

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