Highlighting the considerable potential for eco-tourism in the Terai region, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that eco-tourism was experiencing rapid growth from Chuka to Katarniya ghat, Dudhwa and Amangarh.
He said that the Forest department had taken significant steps, including the development of 10 wetlands to enhance eco-tourism opportunities.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was speaking on the concluding day of a Wildlife Week at Mustafabad guest house in Pilibhit.
During his visit, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 26 projects worth Rs 248 crores. The chief minister also honoured many officials of the Forest department after visiting the exhibition organised at the venue.
In his address, the chief minister said that human existence depends on animals and the water ecosystem. “In Indian philosophy, the earth is referred to as the mother, and all living beings are considered her children. As living beings, we all coexist, whether a creature is domesticated or wild. Any crisis affecting animals and the ecosystem directly endangers human existenc,” he said.
Underlining the government’s commitment to wildlife conservation, Yogi Adityanath said that Pilibhit Tiger Reserve had been given the International Tiger X2 Award by Midori Paxton, UNDP Head of Ecosystem and Biodiversity Programme.
“In 2014, there were 25 tigers in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, a number that grew to 65 by 2018. The state of Uttar Pradesh, which had 173 tigers, now boasts more than 205 tigers.
Regarding the issue of human-wildlife conflict, the chief minister said, “To address the loss of life caused by such conflicts, the government declared it a disaster, ensuring a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for affected families. Over the past six years, the Forest department has transformed into a ‘model’ through active public participation.”