Tourists on their way to Bhitarkanika

Paradip, Oct. 10: Authorities of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife (mangrove) Sanctuary have launched a drive to promote tourism-related job avenues for people living on the fringes of the national park.

“We have launched a programme to impart tourist-guide training to a group of 30 enterprising local residents. After the session is over, they would be deployed as guides to help tourists at various eco-tourism destinations in and around the park,” said divisional forest officer of the Bhitarkanika national park Manoj Kumar Mahapatra.

“It will give the much-needed boost to tourism-based economy of the region,” Mahapatra said.

The selected batches of recruits are being made aware of the diversifying flora and fauna that abound here. The forest department would not pay them salary. The charge of each guide has been fixed at Rs 100. But, it would vary depending on time duration and numerical strength of the tourists’ group.

Tourism is picking up with steady flow of tourists in this mangrove and swampy forest. It has generated alternate income source for the local settlers, said a forest official.

“Last year, we had trained 28 local youths picked up for guides’ assignment. They did a good job and have earned a decent amount during the tourism season,” he said.

It is mandatory for tourists, making their way into the forest’s serene wetland spots, to seek services of the local guides. In the process, the guides will get self-employed, while at the same time, tourists can venture into the inaccessible spots under their able guidance, said another national park official.

The local youths are expected to perform better as they are well versed with the park’s topography. Tourists have begun thronging the place with the festive season fast approaching. The ground-level feedback is that the guides are gaining visitors’ appreciation.

Moreover, to improve the living conditions of people living near the sanctuary, the forest personnel have launched a series of measures to reduce their dependence on forest for sustenance. Emphasis is on coconut plantation as soil and climatic conditions here are conducive to this.