Madan Gopal is new Eco Tourism Board chair

BENGALURU: Former Additional Chief Secretary Madan Gopal has taken charge as Chairman, Executive Committee for Karnataka Eco Tourism Development Board, a registered society under the Forest Department.Resuming office on Monday, Madan Gopal, a travel buff himself, wrote to the State Government that he will be taking only Re 1 as his monthly honorarium, and not any other benefits from the department.

He said, “Unfortunately, eco-tourism is promoted as if it’s a Western concept. Our Bharatiya values, cultural heritage, traditional practices, religious rituals, and village festivals are all based on preservation and conservation of nature that include forests, rivers, and mountains.”