This organisation has included 10 villages as part of its eco-tourism initiative to help communities

With rapid development taking place all over the country it does not come as a surprise that our biodiversity has taken a huge toll as a result. Be it the Aarey forest in Mumbai, which came into limelight due to the construction of metro shed or the burning of Amazon forest due to human intervention, the threat to the environment is real.

Saving the ecological ecosystem thus becomes a matter of priority for citizens across the world. In India, Kalinje Ecotourism, a Maharashtra-based organisation is focusing on the upliftment of local communities, and at the same time, educating tourists and travellers about marine biodiversity conservation.

Kalinje Ecotourism is a part of a community-based conservation initiative by the Mangrove and Marine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation of Maharashtra, Forest Department. Located in the Shrivardhan taluka in Raigad district, Maharashtra, Kalinje houses various species of plants and has a rich and vibrant biodiversity.

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So far, 10 villages have become a part of the eco-tourism circuit while 30 have shown interest to participate in this initiative apart from Kalinje. The group comprises local people who are employed, as they are familiar with the biodiversity.

For instance, Shruti Todankar, who leads the eco-tourism group knows the botanical names of all 11 types of mangroves and also knows how to spot them. Also, one could get information on the plant’s specialty from her, reports The Logical Indian.

Speaking to Indian Express, Sandesh Ambhore, one of the trainers from the foundation said,

“Many villagers have bigger houses and spare rooms, which they are willing to provide for home-stay. Many villagers have shown interest in opening up their houses to tourists. At present, they are waiting to see the initial response.”

The stay can cost upto Rs 500 per night per person with local cuisine with unlimited servings for Rs 125 (veg) and Rs 175 (non-veg).

The charges for small activities that include bird watching, and traditional fishing cost between Rs 100 and Rs 250, and is priced according to the number of people in a group.

Now, the initiative is being spread across nearly 350 locations in the district, aimed towards better connectivity and seamless transition of facilities. Soon, there would be boat rides to add to the income of the locals.

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