Alipurduar: To encourage village tourism and promote scientific awareness, the Alipurduar district administration has launched several initiatives in two forest villages under the Buxa Tiger Reserve — Bonochhaya and Boigram — opening new possibilities for tourism, culture and education.
At Bonochhaya village, located near Mechpara Tea Garden in Kalchini Block, the administration has constructed a beautiful open-air cultural stage at a cost of around Rs 10 lakh. The village, which was named by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, will complete two years after its establishment on March 31. Surrounded by hills and forests and home to around 203 families, Bonochhaya is being developed as a rural tourism destination. Local Rai and Tamang community dance groups are expected to perform traditional folk dances on the newly built stage for tourists, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the region’s culture along with its natural beauty. “With the construction of the open-air stage, we will be able to showcase our culture to tourists in a much better way,” he said Moni Lama, a resident of Bonochhaya.
Meanwhile, in Panijhora Forest Village under Rajabhatkhawa Gram Panchayat, popularly known as Boigram, to foster curiosity about the universe, the district administration has installed a modern telescope and an inflatable planetarium. Through this facility, students, astronomy enthusiasts and the tourists will be able to observe the moon’s craters, planetary positions and various constellations. The inflatable planetarium will also host audio-visual shows explaining space, the solar system and astronomical phenomena. Alipurduar District Magistrate R. Vimala said the initiative aims to cultivate scientific interest among students while expanding educational opportunities in rural areas.
“The main objective of this initiative is to develop a scientific temperament among students and to bring opportunities for modern education to rural areas. It is a great opportunity for students from remote regions, where they can learn about the universe beyond the pages of textbooks,” she said.