Chandaka Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary, which is situated on the city outskirts, has chalked out new plans to welcome wildlife enthusiasts. By November 1, the adventure sports near its Godibari entrance will also be ready.
The sanctuary, the only one of its kind between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, works as the green lungs of the urban area. Visitors to the sanctuary can have picnics, stay in bamboo cottages, log houses or the guesthouse near Godibari gate, and go inside the sanctuary to explore its the flora and fauna.
“We are to ready to start the adventure sports after three years. It was getting delayed because of the absence of safety and supervision over the activities such as rock-climbing and net-climbing. Recently, we got an agency that will manage these sections on our behalf,” said divisional forest officer Manoj Kumar Mohapatra.
Second, for participation in the entire eco-education and awareness, schools and educational institutions are to be involved. For this, two nature trails will be developed near the Godibari entrance.
The visitors can also look at the medicinal and herbal garden, purchase souvenirs from the shop and opt to stay in the guest rooms.
Deras and Jhumka will attract more crowds, as the former will be connected to Jhalara, another place inside the sanctuary, within 1.5km.
Staying inside or near the Godibari gate can cost from Rs 600 to Rs 2,000.
However, staying in the bamboo house or log house near Deras is a must.
There are some 20 small and large water bodies inside the sanctuary where the authorities are planning to set up facilities for tourists to see animals. However, admission to these sites will be highly restrictive because of the sensitive ecosystems of those areas.
Chandaka is all set to emerge as a major eco-tourism destination, as both the state and the central government are open to ideas for large-scale development.
Courtesy: Telegraph calcutta