The State government has imposed a ten-day ban on entry into the ‘Gudisa’ grassland and tourism activities to protect it from further destruction, and regulate future tourism activities in the Reserve Forest in East Godavari Agency. The ban has come into force from Monday.
The grassland in the Maredumill forests has largely been disturbed and some portions burnt by tourists during their illegal night stays on the hills. Various anti-social activities have also posed a major threat to the peaceful living conditions of the local tribes inhabiting the grassland.
Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA-Rampachodavaram) Project Officer C.V. Praveen Adithya told The Hindu that temporary suspensionof tourism activities and entry of tourists was to regulate tourism at the Gudisa hill.
“The grassland has mostly been disturbed and filled with solid waste. A drive has been launched to clean the grassland by involving the local youths and officials concerned. It will be reopened for tourism only after placing some regulations,” Mr. Praveen Adithya said. A checkpost will be set up and run by the local tribals to regulate the tourism activities and night stay, he added.
The ITDA has set a deadline to open cottages down the Gudisa hill for the tourists. “The construction of the four cottages is in the final stage. We are preparing to open the cottages from the present summer,” Mr. Praveen Adithya said. The grasslands are thronged by tourists mainly from Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Italsobecame popularin the southern States after a few movies were shot on the grassland recently.
Published - February 01, 2022 12:35 am IST
