Poor response to tourism in buffer of Pench, Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserves
| Date :02-Jul-2020 |
A person sanitising Gypsy
vehicle in the buffer of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve at an entry point on Wednesday.
Special Correspondent :
Only six tourists enter Pench for safari on the opening day
Tourism in buffer zone of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and Pench Tiger Reserve received poor response from tourists on the opening day, on Wednesday, with only 52 tourists in 12 vehicles entering by Gypsy vehicles in TATR and only three tourists in one Gypsy enjoying jungle safari during morning and evening hours. N R Praveen, Field Director, TATR, Chandrapur, told ‘The Hitavada’ that only 22 tourists entered the park through five vehicles -- three from Agarzari gate and two from Kolara entry point -- during morning safari. Of them, 21 came from Chandrapur while one tourist was from Nagpur.
In the evening, 30 persons in seven vehicles entered from Agarzari, Dewhada-Adegaon, Madnapur, and Alizanza gates in buffer area, he added. The management made arrangements for sanitising/cleaning vehicles while field staff members ensured that tourists wore masks and used sanitisers before entering the park, owing to COVID-19 pandemic. The staff members checked temperature of tourists and allowed them to go in if temperature was normal. All the Gypsy drivers and guides wore masks and used face-shields while drivers kept handwash/sanitisers in the vehicles.
Three to four persons were allowed to sit in a vehicle, but in case of family the management allowed six members to board the vehicle, Praveen pointed out. Tourism was suspended in the park on March 18 in view of COVID-19 crisis and lockdown situation. National Tiger Conservation Authority issued guidelines on June 5 to the authorities for resuming tourism after relaxation in lockdown, by following Government rules and guidelines. Nitin Kakodkar, Chief Wildlife Warden, then gave permission to start tourism activities in the buffer area by following rules and guidelines.
He also considered the miseries of local youths, who were out of job since March, to get employment opportunities to eke out their livelihood. G Guruprasad hoped that tourism activities would increase gradually. At present, there are no trains, inter-State/inter-district buses but COVID-19 cases are increasing and hence people do not want to take risk. He pointed out that tourists enjoying safari in a vehicle were required to pay Rs 1,000/- as entry fees, Rs 2,200/- for Gypsy, and Rs 350/- as guide fees. Offline entry is available for safari. There are in all 13 gates to enter the buffer area of TATR -- Agarzari, Dewhada-Adegaon, Junona, Kolara, Madnapur, Shirkada, Pangdi, Alizanza, Navegaon, Keslaghat, Zaripeth, Navgaon, and Ramdighi. Sources said that tourists could not sight any tiger during morning and evening safari in the park on Wednesday.
The response was very poor at Pench Tiger Reserve too, as only one vehicle carrying three tourists entered for safari from Surevani gate in the morning and one vehicle carrying three persons from the same gate in the evening. The gate at Paoni unified area was closed on Wednesday. The tourists have to pay Rs 700/- as entry fees from Monday to Friday; and Rs 1,000/- on Saturday and Sunday; apart from Rs 2,000/- for Gypsy vehicle per trip, and guide fee of Rs 350/-, said Atul Deokar, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Pench. Meanwhile, jungle safari will begin in Umrer-Paoni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary from July 4. The management is making necessary arrangements required for tourism, said Rahul Gavai, Divisional Forest Officer, Nagpur.