Now, guides must on boats in Bhitarkanika

KENDRAPARA: The Forest department has made it mandatory to have trained guides on boats for tourists at Bhitarkanika National Park here. This was decided  at a meeting of Eco-Tourism and Eco- Development Society (ETEDS) at Bhitarkanika on Saturday.“No one will be allowed to loiter along the river bank. We also made it mandatory for the tourists to be accompanied by trained guides on boats,” said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the park,  Bimal Prasan Acharya. “The Forest department has imparted training to around 40 youths from the nearby villages for the same. These youths will help the tourists during their visit to the park. Tourists will have to pay `200 to a guide,” added the forest officer.

“We have also advised the boatmen not to venture towards the missile test centre at Abdul Kalam Island near the Nasi- 1 and Nasi-2 islands, within Gahiramatha marine sanctuary as the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has declared the area to be a ‘No Entry Zone.’ This area is known to be the world’s largest rookery of the sea turtles,” Acharya said. Earlier , tourists were allowed to visit Eakakula , Nasi 1 and Nasi- 2 islands to witness the mass nesting of Olive Ridley sea turtles.

According to the new advisory of the Forest department, tourists  will have to wear life jackets on boats.  “Forest department has also made it mandatory for all the private boat owners to get fitness certificates from the Inland Water Transport  department at Chandabali  to ferry visitors  in the water- bodies of the park and in its nearby areas”,  added the officer. Bhitarkanika National Park is India’s second largest mangrove forest after the Sundarbans in the neighbouring West Bengal. The water bodies of the park are replete with around 1,600 salt-water crocodiles.  It is also the abode for birds, spotted deer, snakes , water-monitors and other creatures.  As jeep safaris are not allowed here, boats are used to traverse the park.