Forest Minister Vikram Usendi on Friday announced that there are no plans to hand over the management of tourist hotel, guest house and the tourist cottages to the private players at Barnavapara Wildlife Reserve, said in an official statement here.
“The Forest Department would create new arrangements for better management and maintenance of the properties,” the Minister said while chairing a review meeting for the progress of various projects for the conservation and security of wildlife and the Jungle Safari at the State Forest Department headquarters at Aranya Bhavan here.
Usendi directed the officials in the meeting that they need to study how the neighbouring States had been managing tourism properties inside wildlife reserves and present a report by April 25 this year.
He said that all out efforts should be made to ensure wild animals receive water for drinking in the ongoing summer seasons.
‘The status of water availability in lakes and dams in the midst of jungles be constantly monitored by the Department officials and in the event of any water shortage felt by them, they must maintain water supply in the regions by ordering deployment of tankers in such areas,’ Usendi said.
The Minister suggested that concrete water tanks be constructed inside jungles to enable the animals to drink water from them.
The Minister said that there is a possibility of poachers getting active near the water resources during the summer season.
He urged the officials to constantly take tours of jungles and the rural areas to keep vigil on the poachers.
Usendi also suggested that solar powered tubewells be installed in other wild life reserves as had been done at the Navapara Wildlife Reserve.
The officials attending the meeting told the Minister that a total of 13 bisons (wild buffalos) were spotted last week at the Indravati National Park in which five were females.
On hearing this, the Minister while expressing happiness over the spotting of the wild buffalows which are getting extinct in the State directed that all possible efforts be made to conserve the animals.
The Minister at the meeting also sought information on the problems of wild elephants in northern and eastern part of the State.
To this, the officials informed that a 275 kms roller fencing had been created last year on village limits to prevent attack by wild elephants.
They also informed that the Department had set a target of carrying out roller fencing for a length of 300 kms this year .This apart, with a view to protecting and ensuring security of wild animals, two tranquilizers each had been provided to a total of six forest circles. The forest guards and rangers had also been trained on the use of tranquilizers.
However, the Minister at the meeting expressed anger over not activating the 'Bio Diversity Board' and not holding its meetings for a long period of time.
Usendi directed officials that a proposal be sent to the State government for re-organization of the 'Bio Diversity Board'.
This apart, the Minister was also unhappy over the tardy pace of beautification work at the State’s sole Crocodile project at Kotmi Sonar and directed the Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) , Bilaspur to get the matter investigated.
later, Usendi also reviewed the progress of work of the now under development ‘Jungle Safari’ in the new capital project region.
The Minister stated that the ‘Jungle Safari’ when completed would be a pride possession of the State.
Principal Secretary, Forest Department, Sunil Kumar Kujoor was present in the meeting alongwith all other Department officials.