Village next to Maruti plant tells government: Start safari in 200-acre forest

Gurgaon: Residents of Manesar’s Kasan village want a jungle safari to be developed on the 200-acre forest land near their village.
Elaborating about the benefits of the safari, the villagers in their letter to MP Rao Inderjit, have claimed that the jungle safari would not only boost tourism in the area but also provide employment opportunities to the youths in the village, as well as protect the wildlife.
“We have a huge forest area adjoining the village and want to protect it and its wildlife. Also, plantation drives should be carried out in the forest area so that water that flows down the drain could be used for the saplings planted in the forest. We have a variety of wildlife species, including leopards, jackals, blue bulls, Indian hares, etc. and many bird species in the area,” said Satdev, sarpanch of Kasan village.
Kasan village is very close to the Maruti Suzuki factory in Manesar where a leopard strayed from the forest area in 2017. “That incident might be shocking for an outsider, but not for us. This forest has been a home to many leopards since ages. At that time, we also raised a similar demand. However, nothing has been done on the ground,” said a resident of Kasan, requesting anonymity.
Ram Kishen Gupta, son of former sarpanch of Kasan, who drafted the 8-page plan for the safari, said, “There is no forest where people can learn about the flora and fauna of the Aravalis. Our village has very dense forest and is located close to the expressway. The village, therefore, has a huge tourism potential. Also, industries in Manesar often dump industrial and plastic waste in the forest area. This area needs immediate protection.”
He added that cultural activities will also be promoted during jungle safari. Sources in the office of MP Rao Inderjit said that they will go through the proposal and send it to the state government.
Environmentalists also raised a need to engage locals in protection of the flora and fauna of the Aravalis. “I don’t know if it should be jungle safari, but eco-tourism should definitely be encouraged. If locals are engaged, the area will be protected in a better manner, just like local communities have been engaged in Ramthambore. I am glad that the villagers have come up themselves with this request. They should be encouraged and appreciated,” said Vaishali Rana Chandra, an activist, adding that in a petition, Vivek Kamboj (an environmentalist) had also demanded wildlife sanctuary in the Aravalis.
Having ecotourism in the Aravalis is a very good idea to protect the flora and fauna of the area.