Local youths to guide tourists at Harike biodiversity hotspot
HARIKE (FEROZEPUR): Under an ambitious plan to boost eco-tourism at Harike Wetland and Bird Sanctuary, the state wildlife and tourism departments have planned to rope in local youths as guides.
As per the ambitious community participation project, 20 to 30 villagers will be trained to assist wildlife enthusiasts, particularly birdwatchers, in the tourism hotspot.
Watchtowers are also being constructed for sighting of birds. The tourism department is also working to develop an interpretation centre and other basic amenities at the wetland.
Chief wildlife warden Kuldeep Kumar Lomis said the divisional forest officer of Ferozepur zone will start identifying youth for the project from next week.
“The state tourism department will engage experts to train youths about the significance of the wetland and key details of migratory birds. Harike is a rare biodiversity hotspot in the region that attracts thousands of birds from abroad and other Indian states. As it attracts birdwatchers every year, an organised group of well-trained guides will help in improving the economics of the local area and ensures better protection of the area,” said Lomis.
“Besides migratory birds, including gulls, terns ruff and reeve, Harike is a winter abode to several migratory birds such as black-headed Ibis and woollynecked stork. The proposed plan of engaging villagers as guides will also help check poaching of birds,” said the official.
Spread over 4,100 hectares on the Ferozepur-tarn Taran district border, the Harike wetland is located where Sutlej and Beas rivers merge.
The sanctuary is also the spot where Majha, Malwa and Doaba regions of Punjab meet.
Besides an important destination for the migratory avian population, the wetland is a natural habitat to several species of turtles, snakes and fish.
As per an official estimate, more than 60,000 migratory birds have already arrived in the wetland this winter.
Officials say Harike’s tourism potential has not been fully explored by the state authorities.
In March 2012, then Shiromani Akali Dal government had first started a project of introducing eco-system through a PPP (public-private partnership) mode.
“There was a proposal to rope in established major players from the hospitality industry. An amphibious bus was started by the Akali government in 2017 to attract tourists but it was shelved by the present Congress regime. The bus project was cancelled due to financial viability,” said a government functionary.
In June last year, then tourism minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had announced to project Harike as an important tourism destination while clubbing a tourist circuit comprising the Golden Temple and the historic Saragarhi Gurdwara in Ferozepur.
“The wetland is facing problems, including encroachments, drainage of untreated and toxic industrial effluents of various cites into it. Planned and holistic development is needed to mitigate various challenges at the wetland,” said the official.