An innovative village way-side ecotourism project in Kottayam. Transformed from a wayside dump yard, it now features local & heritage food stalls, providing an evening leisure spot. It promotes women empowerment, offers livelihood support, & foster habitat and water conservation. It also emphasizes energy conservation, sustainable waste management, & preservation of heritage food & culture, aligning with SDGs through community engagement & environmental stewardship.
The Manarcaud-Ettumanoor Bypass Road, built in 1995, faced neglect, becoming a dumping site (especially household and slaughter house wastes) and dangerous area. Eventually, it turned out to be a night shelter for drunkards and robbers. In 2010, residents, with TIES' support, initiated a sustainable waste management project to restore its beauty. This has deteriorated the water quality and affected biodiversity, leading to serious ecological imbalance and social issues.
The MEB Residents Association proposed a local evening destination & rest stop for commuters. Ensuring vigilance, volunteers conducted regular clean-ups and Local women offered traditional food cuisine to visitors. To achieve sustainability, a beneficiary model was developed, incorporating food stalls, vegetable stands, a library, heritage item stalls, & a public amenity center. Fruit trees planted, educational boards installed, & sustainable practices employed for informal community education.
The innovation's novelty lies in its self-sustainable model, support for local livelihoods, and emphasis on water, energy, and biodiversity conservation. It transforms both the host and visiting communities towards a conservation mindset. Its participatory nature and local ownership ensure sustainability, encouraging communities to adopt sustainable lifestyles in alignment with the SDGs. Despite its simplicity & low investment, the model faces challenges in attracting developers and policymakers
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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