Bhubaneswar: In a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), the fifth training program under the Amrit Dharohar Capacity Building Scheme was launched on January 6, in Chilika Lake, a Ramsar site. The event took place in the presence of Dr Sagnik Chowdhury, Regional Director (East), Ministry of Tourism; Dr M Ramesh, Scientist ‘E’, MoEF&CC; Dr Md Sabir Hussain, Nodal officer and Head, IITTM Bhubaneswar; Dr Amlan Naik, DFO Chilka Wildlife Division, and Additional CEO, Chilika Development Authority (CDA), along with other officials from CDA and the Forest Department, Government of Odisha.
As part of this initiative, two 15-day training programs, namely the Alternative Livelihood Program (ALP) and Paryatan Navik Certificate (PNC), will be conducted for local community members, boat owners, and Forest department officials of Chilika Lake. With the support of the Chilika Development Authority (CDA), a total of 60 participants (30 for each course) were identified from the local communities in and around Chilika Lake to undergo training and subsequently be certified as nature guides.
The ongoing effort aims to enhance livelihood opportunities for local communities by tapping into the nature-tourism potential of Ramsar Sites across the country under the Amrit Dharohar Initiative of the MoEF&CC. In the initial phase of this program, five priority Ramsar sites were identified, including Sultanpur National Park, Sirpur wetland, Yashwant Sagar, Bhitarkanika National Park, and Chilika Lake. The first three training programs for Sultanpur National Park, Sirpur wetland, and Yashwant Sagar were successfully completed in December 2023. The fourth training, inaugurated on January 5, 2024, is currently underway, focusing on Chilika Lake.