The Chhattisgarh State Government has opened the gates of forest reserves, national parks and Tiger reserves for the tourists since October 1 to encourage ‘Nature Tourism’ in the State.
Forest Protection and Conservation Week is also being observed in the State, officials stated.
Chief Minister Raman Singh and Forest Minister Mahesh Gagda have appealed to the citizens and tourists to protect rich Bio-Diversity and wild animals.
It may be mentioned here that forests, national parks and Tiger reserves are open for the tourists till June 30, 2016. They have been thrown open on October 1, 2015.
There are two national parks, eight forest reserves and three Tiger reserves to conserve and protect wild animals. Apart from these Biosphere Reserve Achanakmar in Amarkantak is a notified area in Mungeli and Bilaspur districts.
The Crocodile Conservation Project is being carried out at Kotmi Sonar in Janjgir-Champa district. About 250 crocodiles are reared in a natural environment.
The Forest Department officials said that the citizens can enjoy the natural habitat from close quarters in the wild life reserves. The Kongorghati National Park in Bastar district is spread over 200 sq. km. Guru Ghasidas National Forest Reserve in Koriya in Surajpur district is spread in 1440 sq.km., Indrawati Tiger Reserve in Bijapur district is spread in over 2800 sq.km. Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Mungeli and Bilaspur district is over 914 sq.km.
The Udanti Seetanadi Tiger Reserve in Gariaband district is also spread over a huge area, officials stated. The Forest Department has set up Nandanvan Zoo at Raipur and Kananpendari Bilaspur to provide information on how to conserve and rehabilitate wild animals.
The officials expressed the hope that a large number of tourists will visit the natural habitats in Chhattisgarh. Chhattisgarh is among only two other States which had sent a proposal to the Union Ministry of Tourism for its theme-based ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme for development of eco-tourism infrastructure.
The proposal by Chhattisgarh is for ‘Integrated Development of Eco Tourism’ circuit in Rajmergarh–Kabir Chabutra-Achanakmar Tiger Reserve- Kurdar-Sirpur-Kodar Dam-Gangrel Dam-Kanger Valley National Park, officials informed.
The Telangana State had sent proposal for ‘ Integrated Development of Eco Tourism circuit’ in Mahaboobnagar District and Kerala has sent proposal for ‘Integrated Development of Eco Tourism’ circuit in Gavi – Pathanamthitta
Promotion, development of tourism and its infrastructure including promotion of eco-tourism or heritage tourism is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations, officials stated.
The Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) for projects that are complete as per existing scheme guidelines and are sanctioned subject to availability of scheme or funds and utilisation of funds released earlier.
Notably, in 2014-15, the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board (CTB) had drawn up ambitious plans to develop India’s biggest ‘Eco-tourism hub’ in the State, an official press release issued last year had stated.
The press release had stated that CTB had already received a Rs 113.5 crores project prioritisation go ahead from the Union Ministry of Tourism to take its plans forward. The CTB, under the aegis of the Chhattisgarh Government had created a blue-print of future tourism plans that will help establish Chhattisgarh as India’s biggest ‘Eco-Tourism hub,’ it had stated.