With Chilika Lake holding out vast tourism potential, the Odisha government has decided to implement a master plan for making the lagoon as a world class tourist destination.
The state government has already assigned an agency for preparing the master plan. The final report of the master plan is likely to be presented to the govenrment within four weeks, said chief conservator of forest (CCF) Ajit Kumar Patnaik.
A high level meeting chaired by Odisha Chief Secretary A P Padhi held a discussion on the master plan and the proposed projects to develop the infrastructure of Chilika, country's largest brackish water lagoon.
Patnaik said a report has been prepared by IPI Global Consultancy on the basic tourism development of Chilika. The draft report proposing the development of three tourist zones - Rambha, Mangalajodi and Satapada - and programmes based on world tourism was tabled at the meeting.
Chief Secretary Padhi suggested the Chilika authorities to incorporate the local people, environment and the boatmen dependant on the lake for livelihood into the master plan.
Chilika lake spread over three districts like Puri,
Khurda and Ganjam, covers an area of over 1,100 square kilometer. It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest lake in the world. Chilika is famous for its migratory birds, said Patnaik adding that the lake is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals.
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