Cuddalore, a fishing district in Tamil Nadu, devastated by the tidal waves, is gradually discovering its tourism potential.
CHENNAI: Two years after the Asian tsunami, when tourist destinations along the Indian coast line have started ushering in visitors, Cuddalore, a predominantly fishing district in Tamil Nadu, devastated by the tidal waves, is gradually discovering its tourism potential.
Cuddalore, which lost around 648 lives to the killer wave, was never a highlight of Tamil Nadu tourism. But post-tsunami rehabilitation and restoration of livelihood with the help of the government and international NGOs, have sparked a new lease of life in the entire area.
At least, Rs 1.5 crore is being spent to spruce up the Cuddalore beaches that may soon find a place in the tourism map.
Devanampattinam, the biggest fishing village in Tamil Nadu, where around 99 people died in the tsunami, is ready to offer backwater cruises, sea fish festivals and a theme park for children. The Silver Beach in Devanampattinam has six pedal boats and two speed boats to take tourists along the fringes of the Bay of Bengal. The jetty destroyed by the 2004 tsunami has been replaced with a bigger one. Fisherwomen of a self-help group will now sell fish pagodas to visitors there.
Not so far away, Parangipettai, which witnessed the Battle of Porto Novo in 1781 between the East India Company and Haidar Ali, is fast salvaging its lost glory. "We're renovating the flag mast and starting a boat service for tourists. This is not related to the tsunami reconstruction work. But it took place along with the total restoration work. We have realised that the place has a high tourism potential," Cuddalore collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi told DNA.
Another place that the authorities are taking care of is Killai, which houses the second largest mangrove forest conglomeration in the world. The backwater resort, run by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), is getting a makeover at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. The walkway, boat service and the children's playground are being renovated.
The blueprint for a bigger tourism project in Cuddalore is getting ready. MGR Thittu, an island completely wiped out by the killer wave, is to be showcased as the living remnants of tsunami and converted into a tourist destination. “We ignored Cuddalore’s tourism potential. But we have finally realised its worth,” said an official.
‘March 2007 deadline for remaining houses’
Agencies
NAGAPATTINAM: The construction of the more than 18,600 permanent houses for tsunami survivors in Nagapattinam district would be completed before March 2007, collector Tenkasi S Jawahar said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters, Jawahar said the 18,634 houses are coming up in 76 locations of the district.
Around 16,830 houses are being built by 48 NGOs, 9,650 houses are under progress and the construction of the remaining 1,805 houses has been taken up by the government, he added.
Nearly 496.81 acres have been acquired from private parties and 58.66 acres have been received from temple authorities.
As much as 25.40 acres have been received as donations and 22.35 acres are government lands, he said.
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