Why Hastinapur’s wildlife don’t see any tourists
READ MORE Tourist Spot|Swamp Deer And Leopards Found|Regional Tourism Officer|Meerut District Forest Officer|Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary
RELATED
MEERUT: Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary, spread over five districts, just does not feature as a tourist spot. The 2,073 sq km sanctuary is close to the river Ganga, and could make for a fine eco-tourism spot. The forest department, however, has done little to promote the area.
TOI asked regional tourism officer Amit Srivastava why Hastinapur did not feature as a tourist destination.
"There is a huge scope, Hastinapur is a big pilgrimage spot. People arrive here from all over the world. As a tourism officer, I get a lot of phone calls from tourists asking if there is a wildlife sanctuary near here. People want to spend time in wilderness, but with little infrastructure, we are not able to cater to the need. If a few rest houses are developed in the forest area, not only will villagers get employment, the state can also earn revenue," Srivastava said.
Srivastava added that stringent forest department rules were a hurdle. Besides, a multiplicity of authorities also tend to choke viable options, he said.
Meerut district forest officer (DFO) Sushant Sharma offered his explanation for why the area cannot become a tourist zone.
"The main wildlife attractions are generally elephants and tigers. In Hastinapur, only swamp deer and leopards are found. Tourists are not so keen on those animals. Besides, the area is interspersed with villages. There is no single stretch that can be developed as a tourist zone."
Vikrant Sinha, an avid wildlife enthusiast, differs.
"Many a time, you don't get to see a tiger when you go to Jim Corbett National Park. But the sanctuary itself offers a kind of solace that is so different from urban life. Delhi, being so close to Hastinapur, could provide us that kind of space, and tourists would flock there," Sinha said.
DFO Sushant Sharma said that the UP Forest Corporation had approved a project in which morning and night safaris would be arranged for tourists interested in bird watching.
Multiplicity of authorities remained a hurdle: Of 2,073 sq km, more than 1,800 comes under Bijnor district; the rest is spread across Muzaffarnagar, Hapur, Meerut and Amroha.
If this area is to be developed, concerted efforts need to be made by the DFOs of all these districts. That does not happen.
Bijnor DFO Vijay Singh said, "The forest department has been more concerned about conservation than tourism. We don't think of the potential of areas as tourist destinations."
TOI asked regional tourism officer Amit Srivastava why Hastinapur did not feature as a tourist destination.
"There is a huge scope, Hastinapur is a big pilgrimage spot. People arrive here from all over the world. As a tourism officer, I get a lot of phone calls from tourists asking if there is a wildlife sanctuary near here. People want to spend time in wilderness, but with little infrastructure, we are not able to cater to the need. If a few rest houses are developed in the forest area, not only will villagers get employment, the state can also earn revenue," Srivastava said.
Srivastava added that stringent forest department rules were a hurdle. Besides, a multiplicity of authorities also tend to choke viable options, he said.
Meerut district forest officer (DFO) Sushant Sharma offered his explanation for why the area cannot become a tourist zone.
"The main wildlife attractions are generally elephants and tigers. In Hastinapur, only swamp deer and leopards are found. Tourists are not so keen on those animals. Besides, the area is interspersed with villages. There is no single stretch that can be developed as a tourist zone."
Vikrant Sinha, an avid wildlife enthusiast, differs.
"Many a time, you don't get to see a tiger when you go to Jim Corbett National Park. But the sanctuary itself offers a kind of solace that is so different from urban life. Delhi, being so close to Hastinapur, could provide us that kind of space, and tourists would flock there," Sinha said.
DFO Sushant Sharma said that the UP Forest Corporation had approved a project in which morning and night safaris would be arranged for tourists interested in bird watching.
Multiplicity of authorities remained a hurdle: Of 2,073 sq km, more than 1,800 comes under Bijnor district; the rest is spread across Muzaffarnagar, Hapur, Meerut and Amroha.
If this area is to be developed, concerted efforts need to be made by the DFOs of all these districts. That does not happen.
Bijnor DFO Vijay Singh said, "The forest department has been more concerned about conservation than tourism. We don't think of the potential of areas as tourist destinations."
Hastinapur Sanctuary - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastinapur_SanctuaryHastinapur Sanctuary was founded in 1986, in Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bijnore and ... TheHastinapur wildlife sanctuary has one third part of total sanctuary area of ...-
More images for Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary,
Wildlife & Bird Sanctuaries - Uttar Pradesh Tourism, Official ...
www.up-tourism.com/destination/wild_life/wild_life.htmThis resort was given recognition as a protected sanctuary in the year 1991. ... Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary · Hastinapur Sanctuary · National Chambal Sanctuary... Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary timings, opening time, entry ...
www.ixigo.com › ... › places to visit › hastinapur wildlife sanctuaryHastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary timings, entry time, opening timings, visiting hours and time table of opening hours and closing days for 2013. Know when is ...Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks of Uttar Pradesh
Sep 28, 2013 - Head for the one and only Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary if you desire to witness nature's splendor at its very finest. Situated in Meerut, the ...Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary In Up Ghaziabad - About ...
www.goibibo.com/travel-guide/.../hastinapur-wildlife-sanctuary.../1084/Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary In Up is one of the famous places in Ghaziabad. Know more about this place at Goibibo travel guide.
Thanks for this. I really like what you've posted here and wish you the best of luck with this blog and thanks for sharing. Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary timing
ReplyDelete