Dehradun, Jan. 6 -- Chief secretary Anand Bardhan on Monday directed officials to prepare an integrated policy for trekking and mountaineering and submit it to the state government by January 15. "The policy should be prepared after detailed consultations with all stakeholders, particularly private operators, so that issues do not arise later," the chief secretary said He also directed officials to initiate work towards opening new peaks for trekking and mountaineering activities. Bardhan said all required formalities, including environmental audits, should be completed before allowing such activities and added that standard operating procedures (SOPs) for trekking and mountaineering would be issued soon. The chief secretary also reviewed progress on eco-tourism infrastructure projects and directed that renovation work at Chaurasi Kutiya be completed on a priority basis. He instructed the implementing agency to fix clear timelines and targets to ensure timely completion of the project. Bardhan said divisional forest officers (DFOs) should be assigned specific responsibilities to ensure timely execution of projects and promote eco-tourism in their respective jurisdictions. He also directed that detailed plans for 10 identified eco-tourism sites be prepared and submitted to the government within a month. The chief secretary discussed the need for a structured mechanism to operate tourism activities within forest areas and suggested that the responsibility be entrusted to the Eco-Tourism Development Board (ETDB). He said the board was established for this purpose and should be strengthened by increasing manpower and allocating adequate budgetary support. He also instructed the additional secretary of forests to create a separate head of account for the ETDB so that it can receive grants in a manner similar to the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB). Bardhan added that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) should be signed soon to enable the ETDB to operate eco-tourism sites more efficiently and effectively. The chief secretary further suggested that meetings of the high-powered eco-tourism committee be held every month to monitor progress. He also directed that formal tourism training programmes be launched across the state, with certificates issued upon completion....