Puri: There is a piece of good news for nature lovers and tourists. The Nuanai Nature Camp at Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary in the district here would be reopened for tourists by November 1.
This was revealed by Puri divisional forest officer (DFO) Harshabardhan Udgata here.
According to Udgata, the nature camp had been badly damaged by cyclonic storm Fani that made a landfall on Puri district coast May 3.
“We had removed ACs, canvas sheets, lights and other goods from the cottages at the nature camp prior the cyclone. The storm has damaged the tin roofs of some cottages and uprooted utility poles at the camp,” said Udgata.
According to the DFO, the Forest department and the district administration would start restoration work at the nature camp within a few days. “We have planned to reopen the nature camp for tourists by November 1. Visitors would have the option for night-stay at the nature camp in the coming tourist season,” he said.
The DFO claimed that they would resume boating facility for tourists in Nuanai immediately after reopening the nature camp. “Most of our boats are intact. We have no problem in resuming boating facility for tourists,” said the DFO.
It is worth mentioning here that the Forest department had planned to set up an ecotourism centre at Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary to attract more tourists to the Holy City.
The Forest department had set up 10 cottages near Nuanai river inside the sanctuary. All the cottages had the required facilities for night stay. The department had constructed a restaurant for the tourists. Besides, there was boating facility for the visitors. The nature camp was inaugurated February 1, 2017.
Soon after the inauguration, the nature camp was a point of attraction for tourists and nature lovers.
However, cyclonic storm Fani has damaged almost all cottages and a restaurant at the nature camp. Besides, the cyclonic storm has left a trail of devastation on the green cover at the ecotourism centre. The centre has been closed for tourists since May 3.