Swosti Group is All Set to Launch a Resort at one of the Chilika Lake Islands

Swosti Group is the famous and the largest hotel chain of Orissa, which is among the best hotels in Orissa. The outlets of this group, namely, Hotel Swosti and the Swosti Premium are situated in Bhubneshwar and at Gopalpura, Swosti Palm Resort is located. And, now it becomes the first hotel in the state, which receives a clearance from the Ministry of Environment & Forests, to set a resort on one of the 26 islands of ChilikaLake.

MR. J.K Mohanty, the Managing Director of Swosti Group, stated,

“The construction work of Swosti Chilika Resort has commenced and we plan to unveil it by October next years. The property will comprise two blocks, one would be the hotel block with 36 luxury rooms and the resort block will have 36 villas including a President villa, each with a pool. The mesmerizing location- Chilika Lake is an eco-wonder that attracts migratory birds from Siberian countries. Starting November to February end, millions of migratory birds flock down to the phenomenal lake, thus creating a mesmerizing site for the tourists. We aim to capitalize on the same”.

Discussing on the other detail of the resort, Mr. Mohanty told that,

“He aims to establish a spa on the property and is busy scouting for spa brand managers. A Sports Bar will also be an integral part of the property along with a tall bird watching tower. There are no houseboats in Odisha so far and he plans to poineer with two of them at the upcoming property. Water activities and sports would be promoted at the resort. The project would feature a yoga center, herbal gardens, large water bodies, badminton and tennis court and facilities for conferencing and bicycle tours. We intend to set up a cooking classess workshop for foreign tourists. We are also making provisions for helicopter landing inside the resort”.

The distance of Chilika Lake from Bhubneshwar is 100 km, means almost 1.5 hours to reach at the lake and also Puri is located at the same distance from the National Highway 5.

“Releasing the dearth of hotels in the areas, Swosti Group has acquired land for establishing hotel projects in Puri, Satpada and Bhitarkanika to tap the unexplored potential. The construction of Puri Hotel would begin by the end of this year”.

Chilika Lake to get its first Luxury Resort in an island by October 2016

Swosti Group, a hospitality and travel company based in Bhubaneswar, Odisha is the first hotel company in the state to receive a clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests for setting up a resort on one of the 26 islands at Chilika Lake. To be built across nine acres of land, Swosti Chilika Resort would be the first luxury resort in Odisha set to be launched by October 2016. Currently the hotel company is on the lookout for an international hotel operator who would be keen to run the resort.

J K Mohanty, Managing Director, Swosti Group said, “The construction work of Swosti Chilika Resort has commenced and we plan to unveil it by October next year. The property will comprise two blocks, one would be the hotel block with 36 luxury rooms and the resort block will have 36 villas including a Presidential villa, each with a pool. The mesmerising location – Chilika Lake is an eco-wonder that attracts migratory birds from Siberian countries. Starting November to February end, millions of migratory birds flock down to the phenomenal lake thus creating a mesmerising site for the tourists. We aim to capitalise on the same.”

Elaborating on the other details Mohanty revealed that he aims to establish a spa at the property and is busy scouting for spa brand managers. A Sports Bar will also be an integral part of the property along with a tall bird watching tower. There are no houseboats in Odisha so far and he plans to pioneer with two of them at the upcoming property. Water activities and sports would be promoted at the resort. The project would feature a yoga centre, herbal gardens, large water bodies, badminton and tennis court and facilities for conferencing and bicycle tours. We intend to set up cooking classes’ workshop for foreign tourists. We are also making provisions for helicopter landing inside the resort, he added.

Homecoming Of a Million Turtles

Dakshin ka hawa aana padega (The wind needs to blow from the south)," said Bipro in his bent Hindi. The field assistant to researchers from the Indian Institute of Science and NGO Dakshin was referring to the local wisdom that southern winds are the cue for Olive Ridley turtles to appear in numbers large enough to signify mass nesting. The event is called Arribada — a Spanish word for "arrival". Mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles is seen at just two spots in India — both in Odisha — Rushikulya, where we were, and Gahirmatha, an island a few hundred kilometers away.

The normally quiet beach was jammed with hundreds of locals. When I crossed the barricade erected by the forest department and entered the beach, my heart stopped. The sand had disappeared under thousands of semi-circular, grey-brown domes. Each new wave carried a few hundred more turtles, left them behind on the foamy shore, and went back for more. Once beyond the tide line, the turtles went to work. There was no time to choose the perfect spot.

We watched a female crawl over another one that was busy laying eggs. She decided to nest less than a meter from the first one. Each female took less than an hour and then returned to sea. Eggs hatch in roughly 50 days, and the hatchlings scramble across the sand to submerge in the ocean. Once they are 10-15 years old, they will return to this very beach to lay eggs. How do they find their way back? How do the adults time the Arribada? Science is still seeking answers. The mass nesting continued for six nights. As I brushed sand off my camera on the last day, the wind from the south gently carried it away.

Clay rest houses at Barehipani in STR to attract tourists

BHUBANESWAR: The wildlife wing of the forest department plans to set up clay rest houses for tourists at Barehipani eco-tourism site to attract more tourists to Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).

Barehipani is known for its scenic waterfall.

The plan of the wildlife wing of the forest department is to develop eco-tourism without disturbing the animals and the eco-system of the reserve.

"We chose to have clay rest houses made so that resources for the construction can be generated from local sources. Concrete structures cannot be built at Barehipani because it is close to the core area of the reserve as we materials for building them would have to be brought from outside. Transportation of materials, digging earth and erecting pillars will cause a lot of noise, which is likely to upset the wild animals," said STR deputy director Ajit Satapathy.

He added that materials required for the clay houses can be generated from the forest and locals from nearby villages can be engaged in the construction so that they can also benefit from the project.

"We have sent a proposal to the Centre to release funds for the project," said Satapathy. He added that thatched roofs and clay walls would keep the rest houses cool.

The clay eco-cottages will be located near the waterfall, which is about five km from an eatery that is being run by the local villagers.

The villagers serve a variety of food items that have a distinct local flavour to tourists at the eatery.

"When tourists have lunch at the eatery and go to the waterfall, they don't have any place to rest. Long ago, we had built a concrete watch tower, where tourists could rest. After the clay cottages come up there, we may have to increase the tariff of the tourist packages to the reserve," said the senior forest officer.

In another initiative, the STR authorities have asked divisional forest officers to explore more sites that are two km away from the core area so that these may be developed into eco-tourism hubs.

Source : Times Of India

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Avian Guests on Return Journey

KENDRAPARA: With the mercury making upward move, the migratory birds have started their homeward journey from Bhitarkanika National Park after staying for about four months.

Thousands of birds of different species flocked the water bodies and the forest cover of Bhitarkanika in November to avoid the harsh winter in their habitations in northern Asia and Central European countries.

A large number of birds have already flown out of Bhitarkanika, while wader birds were preparing to leave. Everyday, hundreds of birds are flying out of the mangrove forest of the national park, said Forest Range.

Abundant fish in the river and creeks and distance from human habitation have made Bhitarkanika a suitable abode for these birds during winter. The forest officials recorded the presence of 1, 13,226 birds last month during the annual avian census.

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Footfall Goes up at Eco-tourism Site

SAMBALPUR: Barakhandia eco-tourism site, located inside thick forest of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, recorded a rise in tourist footfalls during the ongoing tourism season.

The site has six cottages and each has all the facilities to accommodate a family. Sources said in 2014-15 tourism season (October to February), 374 tourists had stayed in the cottages till December last year. While, the number of tourists, who stayed in the cottages in the last two months, is yet to be recorded, sources said it may increase by three times when the tourism season ends.

At least 1000 tourists stayed in the cottages in 2013-14, 958 in 2012-13 and the number stood at 662 in 2011-12. Normally, Barakhandia is opened to tourists from November 1 to June 14.

Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is spread across the districts of Bargarh and Sambalpur. While the hills end at Hirakud dam in Sambalpur district on one side, the other side of the hill range is connected with Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh.

The cottages are surrounded by dense forest on three sides while one side faces Hirakud dam reservoir.

The cottages were constructed in 2009 by the Debrigarh Eco Tourism and Eco Development Society (DETEDS), a wing under Hirakud Wildlife Division, to involve local people in promotion of eco-tourism.

Permission for the entry into the sanctuary is available at the gates, but to stay in the eco-tourism cottages one has to get the DFO’s permission from the office in Sambalpur town after paying the fees.

Apart from the beautiful cottages, the other tourist attraction in the sanctuary is animal sightings.

Leopards, Gaur, antelopes and Sambar can be frequently sighted during the summer season when most of the water bodies in the sanctuary dries up. Besides the sanctuary, one can also see the Hirakud dam, which was once termed as the largest dyke-based structure in Asia.

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