Kechki forest rest house the pulse of the PTR is spruced up. It's in a new look. This tourist hub was a piece of neglect for many years. Now it has made a comeback.
And the man who did a brilliant retouch to Kechki forest rest house is P K Jena deputy director north division of the PTR.
Kechki Sangam Eco Retreat (KSER) project was inaugurated by the state finance minister Radha Krishan Kishore at Kechki late Friday January 24.
The eco retreat here offers a safe nature trail.
As extremism is down and there is a general feeling of better safety tourists' are stressed free now to go for the nature trail here said PTR sources.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by a battery of Palamu tiger reserve officials namely chief conservator of forest and field director PTR Kumar Ashutosh, deputy director north P K Jena, deputy director south Kumar Ashish and others.
It's a Kechki sangam because of the confluence of the two rain fed rivers the Ouranga and the Koyel.
Speaking to this correspondent late Friday night minister Kishore said "It's gorgeous. Too beautiful. It's a real retreat."
"Here one can be with Nature. There is a perfect serenity. I appeal to everyone to help PTR keep this eco retreat clean" said the minister.
Palamu tiger reserve has envisaged an eco retreat from Netarhat to Mandal dam said P K Jena deputy director north division of PTR.
Kechki sangam eco retreat fits the bill in between.
PTR sources said the idea of developing Kechki as eco retreat is to take the excessive load of the tourists in the Betla National Park.
Again there is a great potentiality of generating local employment of the able bodied men and women.
Jena said local employment or economic engagement will lessen the biotic pressure on the PTR.
Jena said "The Kechki sangam eco retreat project here is maintained by the eco development committee. It's a direct people's participation here."
The EDC here has men and women who have undergone training in hospitality and courtesy to the visitors.
The 14 day training was given at a prestigious hotel in Jamshedpur with which the PTR had reached an agreement.
Again the scenic beauty of Kechki was filmed by the ace film maker Satyajit Ray of the Aranyedinratri fame.
The Kechki sangam eco retreat is seen as a business threat to many hotels in Betla.
One such management told this correspondent that the popularity of the Kechki sangam eco retreat and the level of comfort raised there by the PTR is surer to take away our share of income coming from the tourists to Betla.
There is a serious issue. The two rivers that meet here the Ouranga and the Koyel are rain fed rivers. They get into trickle in summer that lasts for around four months.
Tourists will be contended with the sand here only. Moonlit sand has its own charm and appeal here.