Kendrapara: In an attempt to attract more visitors to Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara, the state forest department Wednesday decided to waive off entry fee for students on three national holidays.
According to the proposal provided by the Rajnagar forest division, the department has announced that students will be able to avail of free boat services if they visit Bhitarkanika on these national holidays.
The students will be able to enjoy the scenic beauty of Bhitarkanika without paying any entry fee on Gandhi Jayanti, Republic Day and Independence Day.
The forest department has taken this decision to attract students from across the country.
Notably, the number of seasonal monsoon birds who thronged the mangrove forest belts in Bhitarkanika for their annual nesting has registered a rise this year, according to the officials in Bhitarkanika.
The continual visit of local migrant birds has re-established Bhitarkanika as one of the prominent heronries of the state. At least 1,05,369 birds were counted at the heronry this year.
Lack of human interference, ideal climatic conditions, cool breeze, and the river system always attracted the monsoon birds towards Bhitarkanika.
PNN