Bhubaneswar: Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha has directed officials to restore Nuanai Nature Camp at Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary in Puri district by November.
The nature camp was badly damaged by cyclonic storm Fani that made a landfall on Odisha coast May 3.
Arukha, who paid a surprise visit to Balukhand sanctuary Saturday, has directed the officials of Forest department to make the nature camp ready for tourists by November.
The Forest department had decided 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 also 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 the 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.
Apart from reviewing the status of Nuanai Nature Camp, Arukha directed the Forest department officials to take adequate steps for the safety of deer at the sanctuary. He put emphasis on the creation of more grazing lands for the deer as the existing 12 grazing lands at the sanctuary were not sufficient to meet the requirements of hundreds of herbivores.
Moreover, Arukha advised the officials to initiate fencing work at the sanctuary to prevent wild animals from straying into human settlements.
“The minister has directed the officials to conduct a fresh census of deer at Balukhand sanctuary. Officials had spotted around 4,000 deer at the sanctuary during a census in February this year. However, the sanctuary was ravaged by the summer storm,” said a source in the Forest department.
It is learnt that Arukha has asked the officials to form a special squad to ensure safety for the deer. “The minister expressed happiness over the availability of adequate drinking water for the animals at Balukhand. He, however, expressed displeasure over inadequate facility to treat injured and disease-affected animals at the sanctuary,” said the source.