The Haldwani forest division has demanded Rs 7 crore from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for creating certain necessary infrastructure in the Nandhuar wildlife sanctuary.
It is to note that the aforesaid forest division has not been able to carry out any infrastructure development works in the Nandhuar wildlife sanctuary ever since the latter was accorded the status of a wildlife sanctuary about two years ago due to fund constraints.
All the necessary formalities like notification in regard to developing the Nandhaur area as wildlife sanctuary has already been completed.
But on account of delay in release of fund from the NTCA we have not be been able to start any kind of work for developing necessary infrastructure in the Nandhuar wildlife sanctuary, said PC Arya, SDO, Haldwani forest division, while talking to The Pioneer.
Now we have submitted a proposal demanding Rs 7 crore from the NTCA for the development of the Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary, Arya added. As the wildlife experts here believe norms for developing a wildlife sanctuary are different from a reserve forest division.
Therefore, it also requires a lot of funds to meet the certain conditions of a wildlife sanctuary. Since this Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary is also rich with flora and fauna and a wide variety of the wildlife animals, therefore among other challenges poaching is a major threat to wildlife in this area.
Therefore, to have adequate funds in hands to meet these challenges is need of the hour, maintained the wildlife experts, adding but for want of adequate resources, much has not been done in this newly created wildlife sanctuary.
It is worth mention here that the need for developing the Nandhuar valley as wildlife sanctuary was necessitated only when the Ministry of Environment and Forest set it as a precondition before the State Government for allowing collection of the riverbed materials from the Gola and other rivers in the Kumaon division.
Now the notification has been issued, but due to delay in release of fund no progress has been made to develop Nandhuar valley as wildlife sanctuary. However, the interesting fact is that the Haldwani forest division is also planning to open the Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary for the general public allowing certain tourism activities in this areas under the ecotourism guidelines.
The officials claim to have created necessary infrastructure to allow tourism activities. But repairing of some of the roads connecting different zones of the Nandhuar wildlife sanctuary remaining pending since rainy season, has delayed the ambitious plan of opening the said sanctuary for the tourists. However, the officials concerned have expressed hope that the Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary will be opened for the general public soon.