PUNE: Kas plateau in Satara district will benefit from its share of the Rs 228-crore budget allocation. The plateau is known for its sea of flowers and is one of the proposed UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Western Ghats.
However, environmentalists said the allocation must be used for conservation, rather than construction of roads and other developmental works that will bring more tourists. The Rs 228 crore allocation for the tourism sector includes conservation and development of Lonar lake, Kas plateau, sea-world and theme park tourism projects in Sindhudurg district in Konkan, improvement of roads to the beaches and house-boat projects. Sandeep Shrotri, president of Ranwata Nature and Conservation Mandal, Satara said that development of Kas plateau should focus on a nature centre or on biodiversity conservation and not used for construction of roads for easy access to tourists. "Tourism should be regulated,'' he said. "Both in-situ conservation with the help of local villagers and ex-situ conservation by encouraging tissue culture by growing plants in labs and replanting them in the natural site can be taken up,'' he said. Aparna Watve, who has studied rock outcrops in Maharashtra, including Kas plateau said the allocation will look at an urban perspective for tourism. But, local communities, who are conserving and managing this area should be given facilities. Satara's district collector Ramaswamy N said the allocation will provide amenities to people and help conservation in Kas plateau."We have received Rs 2.2 crore from the state government this year. The funds will be spent for fencing the area that will keep vehicles away from the plateau, there will be a study centre that will show slideshows and presentations to make people aware of Kas plateau,'' he added. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Use-funds-for-Kas-plateaus-conservation-say-greens/articleshow/12422150.cms Regards Rajesh Sachdev http://project-matheran.webs.com/ http://www.facebook.com/leopardguy
