By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 28, 2019: Even as Odisha rich with ecotourism spots had never been succeeded to attract tourists in large numbers, the belated efforts by the state government to promote ecotourism projects in the state appears to be succeeding with community participation.

For instance in the past though Badmul, a remote village located in Satkosia forest reserve was not known as a tourist hotspot, but an eco-tourism project launched there by the state government in 2016 with the community participation, has attracted visitors across the world, officials said.

Incidentally the village also has become the highest revenue grosser when compared to other community-based projects in the country. In the past one year, Badmul attracted a whopping Rs 1.3 crore from eco-tourism with some 3000 visitors including 20 per cent of foreign tourists from Germany, France and Britain visiting the village.

The project titled ‘Satkosia Sands Resort and Nature Camp’ comprises of nine tents pitched on the Mahanadi river bed and seven cottages on the hill slopes overlooking the Satkosia gorge.

Odisha has 40 community-managed nature camps. In this fiscal, the state government has already earned Rs 5.6 crore from eco-tourism projects, offering employment to around 1000 villagers dependent on forests.

The nature camp at Badmul is managed by 28 villagers with the project providing sustenance to about six villages. The people managing the project have seen a surge in their incomes. From Rs 20,000 earlier, their monthly earnings have shot up to Rs 1.5-2 lakh this year.

The stakeholders work in different capacities in the camp – boatman, eco-guide, accountant, cook, service personnel and manager. Badmul eco-tourism has profited the adjoining villages as they supply vegetables, fish and milk to the camp on a daily basis. Earlier, the same nature camp area was used by sand mafias for the collection of illegal sand from the river bed in connivance with the local villagers.