Khairabera: West Bengal's newest eco address

Purulia, in the western corner of West Bengal, which has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, is one of the state's prettiest districts, with rolling hills, greenery, lakes and wildlife.

Although the Ajodhya Hills have been popular with trekkers and climbers, large-scale tourism has never taken off in the district, partly owing to lack of infrastrcture.

"The Khairabera Eco Adventure Camp (about 70km by road from Purulia town) will now promote the district's attractions in an organised fashion, said Dutta who is spearheading this private eco-tourism project.

“Khairabera, when we acquired it, was a bare rocky terrain, and we nurtured many varieties of plants to turn into a green oasis," said Dutta.

He said Purulia is not only safe but also has some of the best motorable roads in the country, even comparable with the autobahns of Germany.

The eco camp, which takes its name from the Khairabera Dam and is located on the fringe of a woodland in Baghmundi, has tents and cottages for accommodation, dining facilities and a host of adventure activities, including trekking, kayaking, mountain biking, night safari, etc.

Guests can also avail pick up and drop facilities on prior notice and separate payment.

The resort will help guests enjoy a trip to the nearby attractions and explore the folk festival and culture of the district too.

Dutta also said that apart from promoting the attractions, the project will also try to help the local people in strengthening their economy by ensuring that they are participants in the project, trained for their roles if required.

Actor Sabyasachi Chakrabarty, also an wildlife expert, who was present at the launch, also spoke highly about the natural attractions of Purulia and said that going by the facilities shown on the website, the place has the capability to attract foreign tourists with proper publicity.

Actor and Trinamool MP, Dev, who mentioned in the passing that he too had a stake in the project, said there is a common misconception that Purulia is unsafe for visitors.

"But let me reassure you, it is not true," said Dev, "it is not only safe to visit the district but you will also meet some of the friendliest people ever."

Sabyasachi Chakrabarty to echoed Dev's sentiment about the safety angle.

Dev also said he was eager to promote tourism in West Bengal, so that more people could be made aware about the state's natural attractions and culture, and also the economy of the state can be improved through such projects.

Reporting by Uttara Gangopadhyay/IBNS

Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS