ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK FOR PROTECTED AREAS OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK

FOR PROTECTED AREAS OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

K.S. JAYACHANDRAN

ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK FOR PAs OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

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ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK FOR PAs OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Name of eco tourism site: (Eco tourism sites are sites which are rich in ecotourism attractions within or outside Protected Area or both) Associated Protected Area: No. of tourists visiting the PA and ecotourism site: (In case of absence of data, approximate figures be given)

Year Protected Area

No. of tourists Ecotourism Site

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Accessibility: 1. Name of nearest airfield/helipad and distance in kms with flight information: 2. Name of nearest railway station and distance in kms: ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK FOR PAs OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

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3. Availability of Private taxis, charter buses, State road transport buses and private buses: 4. Availability of Mule Operators/Porters etc.: Accommodation: 1. Availability of Private hotels or lodges/ FRH/ Govt guesthouses: 2. No. of Private hotels or lodges/ FRH/ Govt guesthouses with distance in kms and number of tourists who can be accommodated: 3. Hospitality standards and availability of essential services like heater, sufficient electricity supply etc.: Electricity Supply: 1. Source of power and electricity supply situation: Water Supply: 1.

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Presence of water sources and distance in kms: Availability of Formal water supply system: Piped water supply: Availability of Treatment facilities: Presence of Water Reservoirs and distance in kms: Availability of Health Care Facilities:

Sewerage Disposal System: 1. Whether through open drains /disposal using soak pits: 2. Sewerage disposal system: 3. Availability of Public toilets, if any: Solid Waste Management: 1. Mode of disposal of biodegradable and non-biodegradable solid waste: 2. Whether Incinerator plant/ Solid waste compression equipments are feasible: ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK FOR PAs OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

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Communication Facilities: 1. Mobile network availability (Not available/Poor/Average/Good): 2. Name of service providers: 3. Presence of PCO booths and distance in kms: 4. Wireless facility with Forest Department or other nearest Government Departments: Unique Selling Proposition: 1. Uniqueness and attractiveness of the PA: 2. Whether inventory of fauna / flora and mapping is done?

3. If yes, give details: Carrying Capacity: 1. Area currently available in the PA for eco tourists: 2. Area available outside PA, which can be combinedly utilized for ecotourism: 3. Optimum number of tourists/year (Carrying capacity formula available in the Government of India’s Draft Guidelines for Eco Tourism in and around Protected Areas, 2011): Ecotourism Assets (Please enclose a map in 1:50,000 scale indicating all the below said queries): 1. Is this ecotourism site part of a tourist circuit?

2. If yes, name of Tourist Circuit: 3. Tourist activities possible: Please tick: Trekking/ rafting/ angling/ Pilgrimage/ sightseeing interest/ bird watching/ snowfall/ waterfall/ springs/ filming/ nature trails/ religious/cultural monuments/sites/ traditional village activities/ festivals/ hiking to alpine meadows/lakes/peaks etc.

4. Any other tourist activities possible: 5. Entry Point / Exit Point: 6. Trek routes/ Paths/Trails with distance (kms) and duration in days: ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK FOR PAs OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

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7. If not already available, the potential routes be explained with the total distance (kms) & duration (days) The trek can be broken up into multiple legs on the basis of the intermediate settlements: 8. Availability of Rain Shelter-cum-Rest Shed along the routes: 9. Availability of Vista Points (Vista Points are locations at relatively higher elevation offering good views): 10.

Availability of quality accommodation or temporary tents: 11.

Availability of Heritage sites like temples, community worship places, sacred groves, old trees, huge trees, wetlands etc.

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Possibility of demonstration nursery/ Germplasm Bank, which simulates species of the region, and which will be a good demonstration of the local biodiversity: 13.

Other nearby Tourist centres and distance in kms: Improvement of ecotourism Assets: 1. Is improvement of ecotourism assets feasible (Please tick) through upgradation of trek / pedestrian path / construction of MS railing along the trek path/ directional/ locational & informational signages/ solar street light systems/ information centre/ recreation centre/ relaxation decks/ cloak room/ first aid centre-cum-small trauma care clinic?

Ecotourism Services: 2. Name the local human settlements with distances in kms & their economic activities: 3. Whether EDC’s have been formed?

4. If yes, provide information about EDC’s – no. of members, activities: 5. Whether EDC’s are active in conservation activities?

6. How do you rate the participation levels of local people/ institutions: Poor/ Average / Good / excellent

ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK FOR PAs OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

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7. In absence of EDC’s are there any JFMC’s/ SHG’s/BMC’s/VDC’s/ any other local institutions: 8. If yes, provide information about local institutions – no. of members, activities: 9. What are the services the local people can offer: Please tick: home stays/nature interpretation services / eco-guide work, souvenirs/ handicraft/ travel Agents/ spoken English and Hindi/waste management/cook/ porter/ performing cultural programs / camp management/ marketing.

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Whether local community members/ private entrepreneurs could be trained on: Please tick: home stays/nature interpretation services / eco-guide work, souvenirs/ handicraft/ travel Agents/ spoken English and Hindi/waste management/cook/ porter/ performing cultural programs / camp management/ marketing.

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Whether local community members/ private entrepreneurs could offer facilities like (Please tick) temporary tented resorts/ refreshment stalls/ renting of trek equipments like shoes, stick, raincoat, binocular etc., / diesel generator in a participative manner on rent/lease?

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Whether local women could be trained for their participation in tourism activities?

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Whether the EDC/local institution has the capacity to audit and monitor the eco tourism activities?

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If no, can they be trained?

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What are the off-season income generation activities possible in neighboring human settlements?

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Are there any local tour operators: If yes, give details (names, addresses, contact numbers, credentials and volume of tourists handled): 17.

Are there any professional tour agencies operating in the region? If yes, give details (names, addresses, contact numbers, credentials and volume of tourists handled):

ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK FOR PAs OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

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Disaster Management: 1. Possible hazard scenarios in the visitor area like Landslides, Avalanche falls, Earthquake Proneness, Heavy Monsoon, Stampede, Attack of Wild Animals etc.

2. Nearest Police Chowki with distance in kms with sufficient personnel/logistics: 3. Nearest Indian Army/any security agency establishment with distance in kms with sufficient personnel/logistics:

References: Guidelines for community-based ecotourism development, July 2001: WWF International Tourism Perspective Plan for Arunachal Pradesh, 2003: Document: 2002013/FR/UP Report of the Working Group on Wildlife, Ecotourism and Animal Welfare for the 12th Five Year Plan 2012-2017 submitted to Planning Commission, 2011 Master plan for eco-tourism in Valley of flowers-Hemkunt belt: TCS Report 2005 Biodiversity Conservation in the Kangchenjunga Landscape - Ecotourism Development in the Kangchenjunga Landscape: Potentials and Challenges: Nakul Chettri and Renzino Lepcha

ECOTOURISM MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK FOR PAs OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

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