Forest Minister Benoy Viswom inaugurating the Silent Valley-Siruvani eco-tourism scheme at a function held at Mukkali in Attappadi on Tuesday. PALAKKAD: The 25th anniversary of the declaration of the Silent Valley as a national park will be observed on an international scale throughout the State in November this year, said Forest Minister Benoy Viswom. The celebrations will be inaugurated at Thiruvananthapuram and it will conclude at the Silent Valley. It was in 1985 that the Silent Valley was declared a national park. The minister was speaking after inaugurating the Mannarkad Taluk Eco-Tourism Scheme as part of which the Silent Valley-Siruvani Eco-tourism programme was being implemented by the Forest Development Agency at a function held in Mukkali here on Tuesday. International seminars will be held and those who were in the forefront of making the silent valley a national park will be honoured. Both the celebrations will be jointly organised by the departments of Tourism and Forest. Similarly an eco-tourism festival will be held in Wayanad in November. The minister said that currently 56 eco-tourist schemes were being implemented within the state and they will be developed into tourist destinations. He claimed that ganja cultivation has been curbed to a large extent in the forest areas. The Government has been devising schemes so that adivasis earn their livelihood on their own and do not engage in ganja cultivation. Benoy Viswom also performed the inauguration of the Silent Valley wild life safari, arch and cottages on the occasion. Deputy Speaker Jose Baby who presided over the function performed the information cum eco shop. The releasing of the brochure and the dormitory was performed by N N Krishnadas MP. ]President of the district panchayat Subaida Ishaaq performed the inauguration of the Silent valley calender, sticker and greeting card. President of the Agali block panchayat Ravindradas declared the Silent Valley as a plastic-free zone. Among those who spoke included Ahads project director V K Unniyal, Eco-tourism director T P Narayanankutty, Mannarkad block panchayat president Ahmed Ashraf, vice-president M I George and member of the district panchayat K V Ibrahim. Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) W S Suiting welcomed the gathering and Chief Conservator (Eastern circle) N K Sashidharan proposed a vote of thanks.