GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has vowed to transform Deepor Beel , a Ramsar Site, into an important tourist destination. While taking part in the closing ceremony of the first Deepor Beel Mahotsav at Deepor Beel here on Sunday, Sonowal also stressed on the importance of maintaining natural diversity and promoting ownership amongst people for protecting nature.
“Deepor Beel is our precious national treasure. We’ll have to strive hard to maintain its heritage and richness. This wetland has been included in the Smart City project to preserve its ecology and transform it an important tourist destination. The state Government would also take several other measures to develop its tourism potentiality”,Sonowal said.
Further saying that Deepor Beel has an intrinsic relationship with Guwahati, the Chief Minister urged the people of the adjoining villages to take the responsibility in upholding the pristine beauty and pleasant environment of the wetland. “There are 2004 wetlands and 2400 islands of various sizes in the state and they have been playing an important role in maintaining the pollution level and enhancing natural beauty of the state. We have to be very cautious in sustaining green cover of Deepor Beel and the hills surrounding it”, Sonowal observed.
Stating that festivals of this kind draw people closer to nature, the Chief Minister said the relationship with nature inspires mankind towards accomplishment in life. The great legends of our society were also staunch votary of preservation of nature, he added.
