A big step towards making Tehri Lake a global destination. Many important instructions were given including model village, solar energy, boating, museum and new brand name.
A high-level committee meeting was held in the Secretariat on Friday under the chairmanship of Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Shri Anand Bardhan to develop Tehri Lake as a global tourist destination. In the meeting, the progress of the project was reviewed and many important suggestions were given to make it more effective and attractive.
The Chief Secretary directed that in future, the Managing Director of THDC should be included as a special invitee in the high level committee meetings related to Tehri Lake Global Destination. Besides, Tehri District Magistrate should also be made a part of the committee, so that better coordination of decisions related to the project can be ensured.
Tehri Lake Project will get a new and attractive name
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary said that such a short, easy and attractive name should be decided for the Tehri Lake project, which people can pronounce easily and which quickly catches their tongue. He believes that an effective name will further strengthen the identity of the project.
Emphasis on developing renewable energy based tourism model
The Chief Secretary said that Tehri Lake should be developed not only as a tourist destination but also as a maximum renewable energy based destination. He directed that the possibilities of operating the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to be built in the project area with solar energy should also be studied and a plan should be prepared to install solar plants at necessary places.
Traditional themed model village will be developed around Tehri Lake
It was also decided in the meeting that some villages located around Tehri Lake should be developed as traditional model villages by connecting them with the traditional art, culture, heritage and local lifestyle of Uttarakhand. The Chief Secretary said that these villages should also be linked with livelihood, so that the local people can get new employment opportunities. He also laid special emphasis on ensuring participation of local stakeholders in the project. Also suggested that in future this model can also be adopted at other major tourist destinations of the state.
Instructions to make strong system of operation and maintenance
The Chief Secretary clarified that the complete arrangements for operation and maintenance of each property to be developed under the project should be decided in advance. For this, such income generating activities should also be included in the plan, so that the project remains economically sustainable in the long run.
Boating and jetty plan will be made on the basis of scientific study
Boating and jetty operations in Tehri Lake were also discussed in the meeting. The Chief Secretary directed that a scientific study of the lake’s capacity should be conducted and on the basis of that a detailed action plan should be prepared. He said that the project can be implemented in a phased manner, but the entire plan should be prepared in advance so that the development work can proceed in a systematic manner in future.
Modern museum will show the history of Tehri
The Chief Secretary directed to give priority to the historical importance of Tehri while preparing the theme of the museum. He suggested that the history of the old Tehri state, folk art, folk culture and also a three-dimensional (3D) model of the submerged Old Tehri be displayed in the museum, so that tourists can better understand the historical and cultural heritage of the region.
Senior officials were present in the meeting
In the meeting, Principal Secretary Shri R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Secretary Shri Dilip Jawalkar, Dr. V. Shanmugam, Shri Dhiraj Singh Garbyal and many senior officials participated and discussed various aspects of the project in detail.