BHUBANESWAR: The non-inclusion of any of the popular tourist spots of Odisha in the Centre’s list of iconic tourist destinations reverberated in the Assembly with members of both ruling BJD and opposition Congress making a strong plea for the House to pass a resolution urging the Union government to correct the “iconic neglect” to the state.
The omission was first highlighted by The Express.
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Raising the issue during Zero Hour, senior BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy said Jagannath temple, Puri and Sun temple, Konark are two most important destinations in the world tourist map.
“How could the Centre ignore two such important places from the list of iconic tourist destinations? We urge the Centre to include these two sites in the list of iconic sites,” he said.
Supporting Maharathy, senior party leaders Amar Prasad Satpathy, Debi Prasad Mishra, Arabinda Dhali and Ananta Das said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has already written on the issue to Union Tourism and Culture Minister Prahalad Singh Patel.
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Former tourism minister Debi Mishra said several tourist sites of the State are designated to be of international importance for conservation. While the Sun Temple at Konark is a World Heritage Site (WHS), Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary is under Ramsar convention.
Besides, Chilika, the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia, and Similipal National Park are part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Similarly, Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udaygiri Buddhist circuits are drawing a large number of international tourists to the State. It is unfortunate that the Centre did not consider any of these sites for further development, he added.
Ruling BJD member Pramod Mallick dubbed the absence of any of Odisha’s sites as “iconic neglect” by the Centre. Bhupinder Singh of the BJD said Konark temple is one among the Seven Wonders of India.
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The Centre should have at least considered this architectural marvel while preparing the list of iconic tourism sites. He said a resolution should be passed in the Assembly for pressing the Centre to accept the State’s demand.
Congress Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati and party colleague Santosh Singh Saluja said this is a case of negligence of Odisha by the Centre.
This needs to be rectified and some of the important tourist sites of the State should be incorporated in the list prepared by the Tourism Ministry. However, the BJP MLAs were silent on the issue.
Some of the important tourist sites of the State should be incorporated in the list prepared by the Tourism MinistryTara Prasad Bahinipati, Congress Chief Whip.
Konark temple is one among the Seven Wonders of India. The Centre should have at least considered this architectural marvel while preparing the list Bhupinder Singh, BJD MLA