A two-day workshop on cave-based tourism and survey of limestone caves in Bastar’s Kanger Valley National Park will commence on Friday in Kotumsar village. This workshop will be organised with support of National Cave Research and Protection Organisation (NCRPO).
Local guides and students from the geological department will receive training on how to study caves and the tools and techniques necessary for safe cave exploration during the workshop. Discussions will also cover precautions to be taken in cave-based tourism.
Nature guides from the national park, scholars, and students from the geological department of Bastar will participate in the workshop.
The tourism minister was speaking after inaugurating the two-day annual conference of the Soft PowerClub, headed by Francesco Rutelli, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Italy. In the context of hosting the event by Kerala Tourism, Riyas said Kerala has immense opportunities in this segment considering the picturesque landscape, eclectic history and rich cultural heritage of the state.
Dr Jayant Vishwas from the NCRPO will also attend this event. Additionally, Vishwanath Rajan, a trained cave specialist from the National Speleological Society, will be present at this workshop as a subject matter expert. Kanger Valley National Park deputy director Dhammashil Ganvir deputy director explained that there are more than 15 caves in Kanger Valley, such as Kotumsar, Kailash Cave, and Dandak Cave, which enhance the park’s beauty. The importance of these caves in terms of geological study can be conveyed to tourists through eco-tourism efforts.
