BY UJJAL BHANDARIPGDBM(SS)

2009-11

North Bengal• To the north of West Bengal stands the East Himalayas as a

natural backdrop. A vast texture of dense forests teeming with wildlife, unending tea gardens, Babbling rivers, interspersed with sleepy or busy settlements, constitute a fascinating tourist destination  

• This region also forms a gateway to the hill stations of North Bengal, Sikkim, Bhutan & the North-Eastern states. The dense natural forests interwoven with lush green tea gardens are cries-crossed by Teesta,Raidak, Torsha, Jaldhaka, Kaljani and other rivers & their innumerable tributaries trotting and rolling down from the hills. The entire region is served with a network of motor-able roads running through the deep forests and tea gardens. A meter gauge railway service connects Siliguri and Cooch Behar via Alipurduar. A journey itself by rail or on road through this region gives immense delight to both the mind and the eyes.

THE TERAIThe Terai ("moist land") is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, from the Yamuna River in the west to the Brahmaputra River in the east. Above the Terai belt lies the Bhabhar, a forested belt of rock, gravel, and soil eroded from the Himalayas, where the water table lies from 5 to 37 meters deep.

The Terai zone is inundated yearly by the monsoon-swollen rivers of the Himalaya. Below the Terai lies the great alluvial plain of the Yamuna, Ganges, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries.

Dooars•The Dooars or Duars are flood plains at the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in North-East India around Bhutan. Duar means door in both Assamese and Bengali languages and for the Bhutanese people can communicate with the people living in the plains. This region is divided by the Sankosh River into the eastern and the western Duars consisting of an area of 8,800 square kilometer (3,400 square-miles).

• Tea Gardens, alpine landscape, pristine river, National Parks and the Wildlife Sanctuary create a paradise. Beautiful motor able roads cut through deep forests, rich with wildlife. Mauve hills stand at the end of velvet green plains. The forests echo with the melody of birds. In between, there are fabulous wildlife sanctuaries with, log cabin lodges and valleys carpeted with tea gardens.

BIO DIVERSity

Jaldapara Wild Life SanctuaryGorumara National Park

Buxa National ParkNeora Valley National Park

Singalila National ParkBird Heaven

Lava

Adveture Tours• Trekking

1. Sewak-Loleygaon trek2.Neora Valley trek 3. Darjeeling-Tista4. West Dooars treks

• Rafting• Camps

1. Kalijhora(on Bengal Sikkim Highway on the bank of River Tista) and2.Rocky Island Adventure Camp (Samsing)

• Mountain BikingSiliguri - Mirik - Darjeeling - Kalimpong - Lava - Siliguri (app 10 days).

• Jungle Tours

STEPS TAKEN BY GOVT. FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM

• Tea Tourism: The Centre has sanctioned schemes worth Rs. 6,00,00,000 for the development of infrastructure and accommodation in North Bengal to promote Tea Tourism.

• The Trekking Programme and Educational Packages Tour Programmes have been organised. Fairs & Festivals have been organised in Cooch Behar including Car Rallies and Teesta Tea & Tourism Festivals which were organised at Cooach Behar as a part of Tourism development.

Other steps1. The existing and potential tourist spots in the entire district had

been identified.2. A 20 years tourism prospective plan has been prepared.3. One Tourist Information office had been opened and started

functioning at Cooch Behar district H.Q headed by one Tourism Officer.

4. Amongst the historical and archaeological sites, one archaeological site at Gosanimari Excavation located at a distance of about 40 kms. from district H.Q is being taken up for developing into a tourist destination.

5. The Rasikbeel, a famous Bird’s Sanctuary is being improved upon as a tourist destination.

6. The Forest Department has also provided cottages and bunglows at different spots for the tourists.

7. The Raj Palace has been renovated including museum which is upon to the visiting tourist and for the comfort & entertainment. A garden with light & sound system has been provide besides the palace.

8. A Tourist Lodge will be constructed in Cooch Behar town as a part of tourism development.

Threats to Tourism of North Bengal

1. Gorkha agitation in North Bengal2. Terrorism3. Lack of development at Socio-Economical

Infrastructure4. Very unstable land and weather5. Health concerns

IMPROPER EXECUTION TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

PLAN • Misinterpretation of Core Problem• Lack of Distribution Channels• Bureaucracy Problems• Improper Promotion Plan

How to Develop Tourism of a Particular Destination

Step 1Advertise through radios,television, magazines, posters, newspappers, brochures and many others.

Step 2Encourage internal tourism.

Step 3Preserve the existing attractions and create new ones.

Step 4Improve on accommodation and health services in order to attract the tourists.

Step 5Train tour guides and hotel workers for easy communication and good service

Step 6Improve on transport facilities by purchasing modern tour vehicles and modernize roads to tourist attraction.

Step 7Organize package tours and improve on security in order to promote peace hence tourist attraction.

RECOMMENDATION FOR THE NORTH BENGAL’S TOURISM

DEVELOPMENT1. Securing the Safety of the Tourist2. Socio – Economical Development3. Highly Efficient Road Infrastructure4. Improvement of Health Infrastructure5. Proper Tourism Distribution Channels6. Last but not the least as the whole region is lying under

developed, the first and the foremost thing is the all over improvement of the whole region is very necessary. For this all the govt. bodies and the public organigzation have to work together selflessly towards the common goal. As tourism is very part of the human social life , it could not be developed separately without improving the socio – economical development of the North Bengal.

HAVE A NICE DAY

Thank you