Samparidisa village sets example of sustaible eco-tourism

From a Correspondent

Haflong, April 5: Samparidisa, a village nestled in the lap of mother ture, has set an inspiring example of sustaible eco-tourism in Dima Hasao by earning Rs 40,000 as total revenue from eco-tourism activities from September 25, 2016 till March 31, 2017. This has been confirmed by an interl audit report of the Community-based Ecotourism Initiative (CBETI).

The Spectrum (NGO) started its community-based eco-tourism initiative (CBETI) project in the year 2010, with village visits, field interactions, tural sites surveys and semirs throughout the district in potential tourism destition villages and areas. With no government aid, but with active support of members, friends and well-wisher, after five years of field research and community sensitization, a first experimental VETC (Village Eco-Tourism Committee) was started in Dima Hasao district in 2015 at Samparidisa village.

The VETC is a village-level tourism unit, in which all the households of the village are members and act as a tourism magement unit in their respective village area and utilize the revenue earned co-operatively.

The eco-tourism activity by Samparidisa village ecotourism committee was officially started on September 25, 2016 with 'Trekking to Bendao Baiglai waterfalls', an adventure programme to the waterfall maged by the VETC. The trekking event was organized jointly by the VETC and Spectrum in collaboration with the Tourism Department and the Assam Rifles. From that day onwards till now, with visits by more than 300 domestic and foreign tourists within the last 200 days, Bendao Baiglai Waterfall near Samparidisa village has become an upcoming tourist destition of Dima Hasao.

Bankim Haflongbar of Spectrum said, "Though it is a meagre amount, but it is the beginning of another sustaible livelihood activity in Dima Hasao. To further promote and cooperatively mage the tourism activity in Dima Hasao, Spectrum (NGO) has formed the Tourism Association of Dima Hasao (TourAD), a cohesive platform for all stakeholders of the tourism fraternity in Dima Hasao."