District Forest Office in Tamilnadu revolutionizes operations for managing its ecotourism with Zakya

The company

The District Forest Office in Ooty plays a pivotal role in the conservation and management of forest resources of the Nilgiris district. They oversee the picturesque landscapes and tourist attractions within the region. The District Forest Officer (DFO) is an integral member of the Eco Development Committee, a community-oriented group primarily consisting of locals, predominantly tribal individuals. This committee is entrusted with the responsibility of managing tourist spots, including waterfalls, sightseeing areas, and plantations.

The DFO assumes a broader responsibility in maintaining and preserving these locations. They employ a comprehensive approach to maintain the ecotourism spots by collecting entry fees by issuing tickets. This multifaceted role involves aspects such as employment generation, security, and the integration of technology to enhance overall efficiency.

The Eco Development Committee, comprised of local community members, benefits from a percentage of the ticket revenue, ensuring that the economic gains from tourism directly contribute to the welfare of the community. Currently, the Eco Development Committee oversees the management of eight ecotourism spots, with 20+ individuals operating under the guidance of the DFO. This collective effort ensures the effective supervision, preservation, and development of these natural attractions for both tourists and the local community.

The challenge

The ecotourism spots, headed by the DFO, encountered formidable challenges like pilferage, revenue blocks, and operational inefficiencies. The existing automated ticket vending machines (ATVMs), while efficient in expediting tickets, proved inadequate in delivering real-time data and addressing discrepancies.

This pressing need for enhancing security measures, and streamlining operations made them take a crucial step towards going digital with the right solution that operates in real time.

The solution

Initially, there was no way to track the functioning, the ticketing, and the pilferage happening in the ecospots, because it required the constant presence of DFOs, which is an impractical expectation given the diverse locations and operational demands. Zakya made centralized monitoring a reality, allowing real-time control of over eight ecotourism sites from anywhere, at anytime.

Zakya goes beyond traditional embedded systems by seamlessly collecting customer details during the entry fee collection and ticket issuance process for in-depth trend analysis. These insights help them understand the visitor patterns and preferences. Furthermore, the system empowers the DFO to track visitor data and assess the pressure on reserve forest spots based on seasonal variations to ensure sustainable conservation efforts.

Benefits and ROI

Zakya allows users to configure role-based restrictions so access to critical information is securely locked when necessary. This prevents unauthorized individuals from tampering with crucial data like revenue. This has proven instrumental in allowing the DFO to compare the revenue submitted by employees in ecotourism spots with the system's records. By bridging this gap, Zakya helps identify and rectify discrepancies, effectively controlling loopholes and ensuring a transparent and secure financial management system.

Notably, Zakya's commitment to inclusivity and its ability to transcend digital barriers, ensures that users with varying levels of technological familiarity can seamlessly incorporate the system into their routines.

Looking forward

"We were highly impressed by the positive outcomes after adopting Zakya and we're happy to see our recommendation has led to the implementation of Zakya by the Dindigul and Erode District Forest Offices. Looking ahead, we are confident that, with a few enhancements tailored to tourism fee collection, Zakya will emerge as the go-to solution for more than 250 sites across Tamil Nadu, spanning both Forest and Tourism Departments," added Devaraj.