Van Vihar, Ramsagar to get ecotourism boost
PLAN Forest dept focuses on developing small sanctuaries as wildlife destinations in state JAIPUR:
The state forest department will develop Van Vihar and Ramsagar sanctuary in Dholpur district as wildlife destinations to promote ecotourism.
“Our focus is on strengthening small sanctuaries, such as Kaila Devi in Karauli, and then in Dholpur,” said YK Sahu, chief conservator of forest (CCF), wildlife, and field director, Ranthambore Tiger Project, Sawai Madhopur.
“We believe ecotourism should be started as done at Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, which will help in effective protection and conservation of wildlife. We will develop Van Vihar and Ramsagar sanctuary as wildlife destinations.”
The Van Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary comprises the Van Vihar and Ramsagar wildlife reserve spread over around 60 sq km.
The Van Vihar area is inhabited by animals, such as sambhar, chital, blue bull, wild boar, sloth bear, hyena and leopard. Ramsagar has a rich aquatic life, including freshwater crocodiles and a variety of fishes and snakes.
The lake is an abode to water birds -- cormorants, whitebreasted water hen, moor hen, jacanas, river tern, ringed plover, sand piper, and green and purple herons. During winter, migratory ducks and geese visit the lake in good numbers.
The forest department has revamped its organisational structure for effective wildlife conservation. The Sawai Madhopur CCF will look after Bharatpur and Dholpur districts in addition to Karauli and Bundi.
Sahu said Kota to Dholpur was a tiger area around 30 years back. In 2016 and this year, tiger movement to Jhiri area in Dholpur has been reported.
“It seems along the Chambal river, the tiger entered Madhya Pradesh through Karauli, then crossed Chambal and reached Jhiri,” he said. “The tiger corridor was there between Dholpur and Kota; we will identify the gaps and improve the corridor through development of habitat, removal of disturbance, securing and increasing forest area.”
The Chambal flows from Kota to Dholpur and the forest area near the river is an ideal habitat for tigers and wildlife.
“We will develop Agra-Dholpur-KarauliRanthambore circuit as a wildlife destination, with Agra already on the tourist map,” Sahu said.