Koyna dam reservoir area to be developed in water tourism: Shinde

Mumbai, Oct 11 : To promote tourism in the Koyna dam’s backwater area, the Maharashtra government has partially amended the Government Secrets Act of 1923 to speed up the sustainable and environment-friendly development of the area, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Tuesday.

He said that because of this decision, Satara district can take a big leap in water tourism.

This amendment has paved the way for developing the remaining 80 km area of the reservoir for tourism, while keeping the dam and its surrounding area up to seven km intact as a restricted area, he said and informed that an area of two km after 7 km has been declared as a buffer zone.

Beyond that, the vast area of the reservoir will be developed for water tourism, he said and informed that the government is planning to develop world-class water tourism at Munawale in Jawli taluka through Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.

A fund of Rs 47 crore has been sanctioned for this purpose, the Chief Minister stated.

The Koyna dam (Shivsagar) is blessed with the forest and Sahyadri mountain range, providing a great

opportunity to develop water tourism, he said.

“If water tourism is developed in this Shivsagar dam, tourists coming to Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Y, Kas Plateau can be diverted to Shivsagar reservoir,” Shinde noted.

This will create employment opportunities for the local youths and development of the local economy, he added.