West Bengal, in its bid to prioritise sustainable development and eco-friendly practices, has got the ball rolling to promote eco-tourism on a large scale in the state. This includes plans to set up a bird sanctuary in Kolkata on the lines of Singapore's Jurong Bird Park, a step the government hopes will catapult the site to the top-five tourism spots in India. 

From the scenic hills of northern Bengal's Dooars region to the coastal delights in Hooghly district and ecological wonders of the Sunderbans, the government has flagged off work on three mega eco-tourism hubs. 

And with the prime attraction being the fragile Sunderbans - the world's largest mangrove forest - the government also announced the setting up of an eco-tourism advisory board at the fag end of 2014. 

The board will be chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to facilitate implementation of the proposals in a manner that doesn't damage the environment. 

"The two priorities for us are - balance between nature and industrial development and eco-friendly practices. We certainly don't want to disrupt natural systems at the cost of progress and we will monitor the implementation of projects in accordance with that," Tourism Minister Bratya Basu told IANS. 

Work has already started in Jharkhali (in the Sunderbans), at Gajoldoba, 35 km east of Siliguri in the Terai-Dooars forest circuit, and at Sobuj Dweep in Hoogly district. 

The tourism department is designing a Sunderbans tourism roadmap taking into account the two priorities, Basu said. 

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