from daijiworld's special correspondent in Panaji

Panaji, Feb 7: The Mollem national park, a tropical forest region bordering Goa and Karnataka, is witnessing a silent revolution with the otherwise infamous tourist jeep operators turning a new leaf following forest department's initiatives.

Nearly 100-odd jeep operators ferrying tourists to the scenic Dudhsagar - a milky waterfall on the state border, are shedding their 'taxi mafia' past to wear a new tag as 'nature guides' attracting better economic incentives.

"These jeep operators, mainly locals, ferry tourists across to Dudhsagar waterfall. They were defamed as taxi mafias because they did not know how to behave with the tourists during the 14-km-long bumpy drive in the national park," Amar Heblekar, range forest officer said.

Since his posting at this park a year ago, Heblekar decided to turn tourism industry's disadvantage into an asset by training all these jeep drivers on the importance of nature and behavioural pattern.

The forest department's office near Mollem checkpost turned into a school for this.

"We trained them how to behave with the tourists. Also, we made them aware that tropical forest wonders which they encounter on the way are novice for the guests. The jeep drivers may have seen these trees throughout their life but for tourists, it is something first time encounter," Heblekar said.

"The drivers were well versed with the wildlife as they have grown up with it. We taught them how to present this wildlife to the guests," he added.