Balasore, May 30: The Balasore forest division has developed an ecotourism project at Gohirabholo in the buffer region of the Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary to attract more visitors and promote tourism in the area.

Forest officials said an estimated Rs 96 lakh would be spent on the project. Four tents have been erected and other facilities such as washrooms and kitchens are ready. Each tent can accommodate two persons.

The forest authorities have also erected a watchtower for a better view of the sanctuary area.

Moreover, to ensure the safety of tourists against animal attacks, trenches have been dug around the project area. Solar fencing has also been installed for additional security.

Provision for round-the-clock water supply has also been made through borewells while solar panels are meeting the demand for electricity.

At present, the forest department offers night-stay facilities at four tents set up inside the core area of the sanctuary, located about 8km away from the entry gate.

Balasore divisional forest officer Harsh Bardhan Udgata said: "Our immediate objective is to shut down night-stay facilities in the core area of the sanctuary to keep wildlife free from the disturbance caused by human movement and activities. We have already spent Rs 30 lakh of the Rs 96 lakh project cost."

A visitor to the project area will need to pay Rs 1,000 for a bed and another Rs 500 for food, said the forest official. The facility will be open to tourists throughout the year, unlike the one in the core area of the sanctuary, he said.

"One can see elephant herds near the salt pits and other wild animals near the water tanks," said Kuldiha sanctuary range officer Laxman Pradhan.

The sanctuary is home to several wild animals such as leopards, elephants, deer and other threatened species including porcupines, bisons and pangolins. The sanctuary is spread over an area of 272.4 acres and is also home to a large number of pythons.