Bhubaneswar: The Union Budget on Sunday put the Olive Ridley nesting sites firmly on the tourism map, proposing ‘turtle trails’ in the state, along with the development of tourist destinations across five Purvodaya states, including Odisha.Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the establishment of turtle trails along key nesting sites in the coastal areas of Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala as part of efforts to boost eco-tourism.
In Odisha, mass nesting (arribada) of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles takes place at Rushikulya beach in Ganjam district, Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Kendrapada, and the Devi river mouth in Puri district. The Rushikulya rookery created a record in Feb last year with more than 7 lakh turtles arriving to lay eggs, with the nesting period lasting over a week.Tourism stakeholders welcomed the announcement, noting that a few tour operators and hotels located near Rushikulya and Gahirmatha already organise short trips for visitors to witness the nesting. “If turtle trails are officially launched, many tourists will show interest in witnessing the incredible spectacle. However, utmost care must be taken to ensure that the nesting environment is not disturbed,” said Rabindra Sahu, secretary of Olive Ridley Protection Club at Podampeta. A few years ago, state govt had announced an eco-tourism project near the turtle rookeries, but it failed to take off.Apart from the ‘turtle trails’, Sitharaman also announced the creation of five tourism destinations across five Purvodaya states — Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Stakeholders said the govt should consider including tourist guides from Odisha in the pilot scheme announced for upskilling 10,000 guides at 20 iconic tourist sites through a standardised, high-quality 12-week hybrid training programme in collaboration with an IIM.“Sun Temple at Konark draws the third highest number of tourists, both domestic and international, in the country. It needs more skilled guides to cater to the rising number of visitors every year. The Budget proposal should include Konark guides as well,” said travel entrepreneur Debasish Patnaik.Exclusion of Koraput’s Deomali from the proposed mountain trekking trails, while including Andhra Pradesh’s Araku Valley, has drawn resentment. Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka said that although the Budget announces the development of mountain trekking trails in Araku Valley under national eco-tourism initiatives, it completely ignores Deomali — the highest peak of Odisha.“Deomali is not merely a geographic landmark; it is central to Odisha’s tribal identity, eco-tourism potential and local livelihoods. Recognising Araku while ignoring Deomali reflects poor regional planning and a lack of sensitivity towards Odisha’s tribal heartland,” he said. Ulaka added that Deomali has equal, if not greater, potential for sustainable trekking, community-led tourism and youth employment, if supported with basic infrastructure, safety systems and trained local guides.
