The Biodiversity Conservation and Rural livelihood Improvement Project (BCRlIP), an ambitious project which was aimed to check human interventions and conserve flora and fauna in the Askot Wildlife Sanctuary in Pithoragarh, remains stuck for long due to certain bureaucratic hurdles.
The project had to be started about a year ago. But on account of certain formalities like adoption of electronic mode of payment (e-payment) in public sector have caused delay in the implementation of this project, said the officials concerned of the Pithoragarh forest division.However, since mode of e-payment is in practice now so hopefully the project would soon be implemented, the officials concerned expressed hope.
The Government of India is keen to start this project for development as well as conservation of the entire Aakot landscape in Pithoragarh.This is about a Rs27 crore project and both the Government of India and the State Government of Uttrakhand would jointly work on this project, added the officials concerned.It may be recalled that the said project was in the offing since 2011. But due to Assembly polls in Uttarakhand in early 2012 the same project could not move forward.
Though in a bid to curb human disturbances as many as 111 villages have already been excluded from the Askot Wildlife Sanctuary , much has not yet been done on conservation front.Therefore, as the conservationists here believe, timely implementation of the aforesaid project worth Rs27 crore could have come in handy to maintain biodiversity and improve livelihood options for the people of this region.
This project would not only help the people of this area attain self reliance, but also improve the bio-diversity and flora and fauna of the region, they maintain.The Ascot Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1987 and is spread over an area of 600 sq km near Indo-Nepal border in Pithoragarh. Offering a livable atmosphere to a rare variety of wildlife species like musk deer, this high altitude park is also known for its rich bio-diversity and flora and fauna.
Apart from the endangered species like musk deer, there are also different types of birds, reptiles and many other kinds of animals in this park. The major species include, lemurs, kraits, turtles, spectacled cobras, deer, gaur, horns, antlers, monkeys, darters, vipers, bison, little cormorants, and black eagles to name a few.
Among others teak, eucalyptus to name a few only add to its rich bio-diversity.