Valmikinagar will be developed as tourist city : Nitish

 

Speed Post News Network

Bagaha : CM Nitish Kumar, who reached Valmikinagar in West Champaran district and with Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and Water Resources Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh on November 17, 2018, on a two-day visit to Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve (VTR) , inspected left bank Gandak protection embankment works under progress from old Triveni canal to Kawleshwar hanging bridge during morning walk and fed banana to elephants at their shed near Kauleshwar temple.

The CM praised the Tharu culture and their arts and assured Tharus that it would be preserved. Nitish, following demand from tribal Tharus, announced that Bagaha -2 block headquarters would be shifted to Sidhav very soon, where the water resources department will provide 8 acres of land for the purpose.

The CM said that Valmikinagar would be developed as a tourists city like Rajgir and Bodh Gaya. About 200 acre of water resources department land had been transferred to VTR for its development and a state cabinet meeting will be held at Valmikinagar very soon, Nitish said. He said that solar lamps would be installed in Valmikinagar area and added the VTR is gearing up for the visit of about one lakh tourists in coming year. Valmikinagar would have a conference centre where any organisation can hold its conference. On October 10, Deputy CM Modi, who holds Environment & Forest Portfolio, had opened new route for tourists to visit VTR picturesque spots and wildlife area.

Nitish also announced to initiate more schemes to attract tourists to the VTR area. All facilities would now be provided to the tourists at reasonable rates. The rates of accommodation and VTR tour have already been brought down, he said. The CM was happy to know that wildlife population was increasing especially that of big cats whose number has increased to 35 including cubs from 7 earlier. The VTR has at present four elephants but their number would be increased by bringing elephants from Karnataka.

The VTR  provides better accomodation to tourists with 80 well maintained beds ready and amusement facilities like movie on wildlife besides tribals dance related to local culture in the night. One dozen cycles, jungle safari, and motorboats have been kept ready to facilitate visit into VTR to see wildlife.

DM, West Champaran Neelesh Ramchandra Deore, SP, Bagaha police district, AK Gupta, SDM, Bagaha, Ghanshyam Meena, VTR Director cum Conservator of Forests Satyender Rao, DFO Gaurav Ojha besides MP from Valmikinagar Satish Chandra Dubey, MLA from Valmikinagar Dhirendra Pratap Singh alias Rinku Singh were also present on the occasion. The CM left Valmikinagar for Bettiah by road.

The VTR contractual staff had on November 17 evening tried to stage gherao of the chief minister when he had  just reached the Guest House to protest attack on a Forest team by timber smugglers the same evening in which Tiger Tracker Amaresh Chaudhary was injured. But, their attempt was foiled by police personnel. The Forest staff said how they could protect forests and wildlife unarmed when smugglers are carrying arms.