Khatima : CM Pushkar Singh Dhami launched Jungle Safari in Surai Ecotourism Zone

• Surai Ecotourism Zone in Khatima is the first such ecotourism zone in the state, where tourists can enjoy jungle safari

Khatima : Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched Jungle Safari at Surai Ecotourism Zone in Khatima. During this he also did jungle safari. Surai Ecotourism Zone is the first such ecotourism zone in the state, where tourists can enjoy jungle safari. The Chief Minister said that the main objective of this scheme is to make Khatima and its surrounding area a high place in the tourism map. The Terai Eastern Forest Division, which has biodiversity and wildlife, will be developed in a planned manner and its Surai forest area will be converted into an eco-tourism zone, so that its natural beauty can be used in providing direct and indirect employment to the local people.

The Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami said that due to the complexities of the Forest Act, people living near the forests face a lot of difficulties, in which their agriculture is also affected. He said that realizing this difficulty, we have decided that self-employment opportunities will be provided to the local people by connecting forest and wildlife with the economy. With this thinking, we launched the CM Young Ecopreneur Scheme in Dehradun on October 1, 2021. The implementation of this scheme has been started. As a beginning, jungle safari is being started in Khatima by developing Surai Ecotourism Zone. The scheme will be operated through village committees. With the start of Jungle Safari, local youth will get employment as gypsy owners, drivers and guides. For this, the Forest Department has tied up with 30 gypsy operators. In order to properly discharge the role of guide, the Forest Department has given training to many youths.

The influx of tourists in Surai Ecotourism Zone will provide direct and indirect employment to the local people. This scheme will be expanded in the entire state so that we can make forests, forest areas and wildlife our strength rather than weakness. He said that nature guide, drone pilot, wildlife photographer, ecotourism, wildlife tourism based skills would be converted into enterprise under CM Young Eco Preneur Scheme.

Surai Ecotourism Zone-

Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami had announced that in view of the rich biodiversity of Surai forests, this area would be given the form of Surai Eco Tourism Zone (Surai Eco-Tourism Zone). It will have two benefits, firstly, this area rich in biodiversity will be protected by ensuring public participation and secondly, by developing its forest routes for jungle safaris, employment opportunities will also be created here. Acting on this announcement of the Chief Minister, the Forest Department has developed the forest routes of Surai forest area as Biodiversity Trail. This area is spread over an area of ​​180 square kilometers. It is bordered by Sharda Sagar Dam in the east, Khatima Nagar in the west, Melaghat Road in the north and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve area in the south.

Naturally beautiful, this forest area is rich in sal trees, pastures and water. Due to all these reasons, the movement of tigers continues here. Apart from this, about 125 species of mammals, more than 150 of birds and about 20 species of reptiles are also found in this forest area. By developing the forest routes here, a trail of about 40 km has been prepared for jungle safari, in which tourists sitting in gypsy rare wild animals (Royal Bengal Tiger, Bear, Chital, Sambar, Kakad, Pangolin, Coral Snake, Panda etc. Along with seeing this, you will be able to enjoy the picturesque forests, meadows, ancient Sharda Canal and beautiful ponds.