Kolkata, Nov 29: The West Bengal government has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Sahara India Tourism Development Corporation for a Rs 500-crore eco-tourism project to make the Sunderbans a global tourist destination. The agreement for setting up a world-class floating city in the Sunderbans, the biggest delta in the world, was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Sahara India managing worker and chairman Subrata Ray here yesterday.
Mr Bhattacharjee said the project development will take care to protect the bio-diversity in the delta. ''We are expecting the final clearance from the Union environment ministry and the State Pollution Control Board soon. We hope to begin the work this December,'' Mr Bhattacharjee said.
''The entire project would be on floatel and we are planning to develop at least two beaches -- one in the Sagar Island and another at Frazergang. Besides, we are also considering a floating cricket ground and all these will take time,'' Mr Ray said.
The project would be built over an area of 9000 sq km, of which floatel would be set up over 250 sq km, he added.
In the joint venture, the state government would provide land while Sahara India would bring in the investment and have management control.
Mr Ray said Sahara India had given the highest priority to environment protection and would engage internationally renowned experts to guide the corporation in improving the environment while developing the project.
To a question, he said it would take about two years to give a proper shape to the project and it would take several years to complete because of addition of new features.
He said once completed, the project would generate employment for thousands of people. Denying reports that a large number of people would be evicted because of the project, he said, ''Not a single local will be evicted. In fact the villagers would be immensely benefitted.'' Bureau Report