While the UNESCO considers the proposal for making Kanchenjunga in Sikkim the eighth World Natural Heritage Site in India, the UNESCO Category 2 Centre on World Natural Heritage Management and Training for Asia and the Pacific Region at Wildlife Institute of India plans to propose making Bhitarkanika in Odisha as another world natural heritage site in India next year. Bhitarkanika is the only place in the world where the Olive-Ridley turtles come ashore in such large numbers to lay their eggs, said the C2C and WII director Dr VB Mathur while talking to The Pioneer.
Mathur informed that Kanchenjunga was already under consideration and whether it is declared a world natural heritage site will be known next year. “In the meantime, we are preparing dossiers for proposing Bhitarkanika in Odisha as a world natural heritage site in 2016 after which we plan to propose Keibul lamjao national park in Manipur for this status in 2017. There is a water body here with flora covering its surface enabling deer to walk over it, which is a unique sight in the world,” he said. At present there are seven designated world natural heritage sites in India which include the Great Himalayan National Park conservation area in Himachal Pradesh, Kaziranga national park in Assam, Keoladeo national park in Rajasthan, Manas wildlife sanctuary in Assam, Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers national parks in Uttarakhand, Sundarbans national park in West Bengal and the Western Ghats.