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Rains hit tourism activities: Suspense over opening of Dudhwa park from Nov 1
The unprecedented floods and rains have led to heavy waterlogging, and routes and bridges have been damaged inside the Dudhwa National Park
Lakhimpur Kheri: Unprecedented rains and floods in Lakhimpur Kheri have badly affected the ongoing preparations for the Dudhwa tourism season which is supposed to start from November 1, after a prolonged Covid-19 lockdown. With almost all major parts of the Dudhwa National Park (DNP) and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) flooded, the park authorities are forced to review the opening of the park from November 1 for tourists.
Sanjay Kumar Pathak, field director of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) said, “The unprecedented floods and rains have led to heavy water-logging inside the Dudhwa National Park (DNP) and the Kishanpur Sanctuary (KWS). The routes and bridges inside the park, used by the tourists, have been damaged due to floods and subsequent waterlogging. Because of this, movement of tourist vehicles will not be possible on slushy and muddy jungle routes.”
“We may postpone the opening of the park for a week or more till the routes and bridges are repaired to the convenience of the Dudhwa visitors. We will review the situation on next Thursday or Friday and take appropriate decision regarding opening of the park for tourism activities,” Pathak added.
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve has around 105 royal Bengal tigers, 42 one-horned rhinoceros, 400 avian species, five species of deer, including UP state animal Swamp deer, besides a number of other wild species like wild tuskers, boars, beer and rich flora and fauna in its fold. It opens every year for visitors and tourism activities in the month of November. The outbreak of corona pandemic hit the Dudhwa tourism a lot, though it helped wild animals to flourish with no human activities inside the reserve.
The DTR authorities expected a rich influx of tourists this season from November 1 after reduction in Covid-19 cases. However, the untimely rains followed by floods, caused by massive discharge of 533000 cusec water into Sharda river from the Banbasa barrage in Uttarakhand, washed away the hopes of a thumping start of the tourism season.
While the fuming Sharda inundated the Kishanpur sanctuary, the Soheli and Mohana flooded almost all ranges of Dudhwa National Park. The jungle routes and approach roads were also damaged. Besides, the heavy rains have washed away the white-washing the tourist huts and rest houses.
Field director Sanjay Kumar Pathak said that after the flood water receded, fresh exercises would be initiated to ensure all tourist amenities in the park area.
Covid protocol must in DTR
The tourists visiting Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) would have to mandatorily follow the Covid protocols. “The tourists must cover their faces with masks and observe social distancing norms and other sanitary measures while entering the DTR area,” said field director Sanjay Kumar Pathak.
Pathak informed that this season, tourists would be allowed to enjoy elephant rides which had been suspended during earlier tourist seasons due to corona pandemic.
“The tourists would also be allowed to enjoy the beauty of the one-horned rhinos in rhino area (phase one) in South Sonaripur range this season,” he added.
