Eco-tourism in UP | 28 Apr 2025

Why in News? 

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to develop dams and reservoirs as tourist destinations to promote eco-tourism in the state. 

Key Points 

  • About the Initiative: 
    • Under this initiative, infrastructure will be constructed on seven major dams and lakes in Chitrakoot, Mahoba, Sonbhadra, Hamirpur, Jhansi, Siddharthnagar and Banda districts . 
    • The cooperation of the Irrigation and Water Resources Department has been ensured to promote water and adventure sports activities at these places . 
    • The reservoirs and dams selected include: 
      • Gunta Dam (Chitrakoot) 
      • Arjun Dam (Mahoba) 
      • Dhandhraul Dam (Sonbhadra) 
      • Maudaha Dam (Hamirpur) 
      • Garhmau Lake (Jhansi) 
      • Majhauli Sagar (Siddharthanagar) 
      • Nawab Tank (Banda) 
    • The government aims to enhance the natural beauty of these reservoirs through modern tourist facilities like resorts, boating, water sports, trekking and camping . 
    • This scheme will strengthen employment generation and economic development at the local level . 
  • The Irrigation and Water Resources Department will provide technical assistance and necessary permissions for these projects, and will also ensure compliance with the safety standards of the dams and maintaining the structure . 

 Eco Tourism 

  • Introduction:  
    • Eco tourism is a form of tourism that focuses on environmentally friendly , sustainable and natural areas.  
    • In this, natural areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, rainforests etc. are visited in such a way that there is no harm to the biodiversity and culture there. 
  • Objective: 
    • It aims to support conservation efforts, provide economic benefits to local communities, and create awareness among visitors about nature . 
  • Types: 
    • Wildlife tourism: Observing animals in national parks and sanctuaries. 
    • Forest tourism: exploring rainforests and deciduous forests. 
    • Marine tourism: Observation of marine life. 
    • Cultural tourism: getting to know the customs of indigenous communities. 
    • Adventure tourism: Environmentally sustainable activities like trekking, mountaineering etc. 
  • Global Perspective of Ecotourism: 
    • The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has recognized ecotourism as a means of sustainable development .