Bhitarkanika mangrove sanctuary. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 12: The issue of Bhitarkanika National Park being included in the World Heritage Site list is back in focus with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) today urging the state government to follow up in this regard.

The mangrove sanctuary secured a place in the tentative list of the World Heritage Site list in 2009.

Unesco declared the Sun temple at Konark as the only World Heritage Site of the state in 1984. India has 29 other such sites. In all, there are 981 names in the World Heritage Site list.

While speaking on building pressure to have the World Heritage Site status for Bhitarkanika at a meet today, eminent writer Sitakant Mahapatra said: “The World Heritage Site tag will ensure funding from the Unesco. An expert team from the organisation will then also come to study the site and advise on how to develop the site.”

The World Heritage Site title is conferred after several rounds of scrutiny.

Once the honour is bestowed, both the state government and Centre will always have to remain alert because there is a provision to de-list a monument or site if the international conservation norms are not maintained properly.

Mahapatra said that with the World Heritage Site honour, the site would attract global attention. Consequently, many foreign universities will also come forward to conduct research on the ecosystem of Bhitarkanika.

Apart from being a nesting ground for Olive Ridley turtles, the forest is home to 15 types of crabs, six types of mudskippers and 15 types of frogs among many unexplored varieties of animals and plants.

State convenor of Intach Amiya Bhusan Tripathy, who went to Calcutta in 2011 to meet Unesco experts as the state government failed to send its own team to further its demand, said: “The international tag for the unique ecological heritage site will enable more funding from the ministry of tourism and flow of more tourists from different corners of the world.”

Another important site of global importance is the Jeypore valley in Koraput district, which was named as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN in January, 2012.

Jeypore valley is a treasure trove for many rare varieties of rice, some as old as 3,000 years. There are 17 other Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems sites in the world.