Socio-environmental surveys of Tinchuley and Takdah: two emerging ecotourism hamlets of North Bengal, India

Tinchuley (Latitude: 26.89748 N, Longitude: 88.23268 E) is a remote hamlet located close to Darjeeling which can be reached through a drive of 32 kilometers. Takdah Cantonment (Latitude: 26.89745 N, Longitude: 88.23265 E) is a settlement located in Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India. It is one of the upcoming tourist centers of the Darjeeling hills, around 4 km. from Tinchuley. The winding roads, tall pine and fir trees, intruding packs of cloud and warm and hospitable people makes it an ideal destination for people looking to escape from the hectic lifestyle of the city. The main objective of the present research work was to construct the social, environmental, cultural and economic framework of Tinchuley and Takdah Cantonment area and to highlight the proposals for sustainable management policies of those ecologically sensitive zones. The study was done in May, 2014 by visiting Tinchuley and Takdah and the information was gathered through field survey and direct contact with common people and authorized centers of the regions. Surveys on the agriculture, horticulture, livestock, water management, education, culture, health, waste management, transport and biodiversity were done in these areas. Tinchuley and Takdah have become the prominent tourist spots of West Bengal for pleasure trips, biological and geographical excursions and medical research works. In spite of getting so much attention in the recent time, the areas are not adequately developed. There is an urgent need for implementing sustainable management systems in the areas for the betterment of the socio-environmental structures. Some of the possible management strategies have been suggested for maintaining the social, environmental, economic and ecological balance of the regions.