INDIA: Eco-tourism For Nayachar Island

The growing island between Haldia and Nandigram that dashed the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee-government's dreams of a chemical hub is back in focus. Seven years on, chief minister Mamata Banerjee wants to develop Nayachar as an eco-tourism hub.

With the warm-up beginning for the 2016 assembly elections, it was only a matter of time till Nayachar returned to the state's political map.

Mamata indicated on Monday that she is speaking to various stakeholders, in addition to the Prasun Mukherjee-led New Kolkata International Development, in a bid to reshape Nayachar.

"None came here before. Now, along with me, a team of industrialists has come. We had preliminary discussions and there is a convergence of thoughts that this belt has potential," the CM sEco-tourism plans for Nayachar island

keen to get back land from Mukherjee, Mamata said, "This isn't the time to ask such questions. He too has proposed certain projects like eco-tourism and we will speak to him."

Going by what the CM said, the state is likely to showcase Nayachar as a probable invest ment destination in the threeday Bengal Global Business Summit beginning January 7.This will keep hopes of the Purba Medinipur villagers alive of something finally coming up in the district.

"I have sought proposals from them (the business delegation). In four days I hope to hear back. Fishery too has a lot of prospects here," she said."Anything that happens here will be environment-friendly .I had opposed a chemical hub then and I will do it now as well," she said.

The Nayachar story has always been about dashed hopes.After the Buddhadeb Bhatta charjee government abandoned the chemical hub plan, the proposed thermal power project plans also met with the same fate. Once in power, Mamata proposed the eco-tourism park. But even that could not take off due to litigations and lack of clearance by the ministry of environment. On October 11 this year, the National Green Tribunal dealt the latest blow, disallowing any construction on this 1,500acre island hemmed between Haldia and Nandigram. To navigate these choppy waters remains the biggest challenge for the Mamatagovernment.

The chief minister, however, maintains a positive attitude. "We are aware of the problems. But I am optimistic," she added.