Daringbadi: Hundreds of tourists thronged every day to Daringbadi in Kandhamal district, braving the summer heat for a retreat in nature. Popular tourist spots in the block, such as Hill View Park, Nature Park, Coffee Garden, Midubanda waterfall, Kisubadi waterfall and Lovers’ Point, saw large crowds, especially with students and families making the most of the summer holidays.
One such attraction, the Duluri Pine Forest, known for its scenic charm and picnic spots, has now been left neglected. While entry tickets were collected during the winter tourism season from October to January, the main gate to the forest remained open thereafter, allowing unrestricted access to people. This has led to a surge in anti-social activities with the area getting littered with empty liquor bottles, plastic waste, polythene bags and other leftovers.
During the winter season, the local administration had entrusted women from self-help groups (SHGs) with both ticket collection and upkeep of the forest. In partnership with the administration, SHG members managed the main gate, maintained cleanliness and ensured order within the pine forest, generating significant revenue while also preserving the natural beauty of the site.
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However, the open access ever since has reportedly resulted in substantial revenue loss. Hill View Park alone generated around Rs 90,000 from ticket sales in May, while Duluri Pine Forest contributed nothing during the same period. The neglect has raised concerns among environmentalists and local stakeholders, particularly since the forest had seen significant infrastructural investments.
The block administration had earlier developed amenities worth Rs 85 lakh in the Duluri Pine Forest, including a children’s park, selfie point, community toilets, kitchen platforms for picnicking, shelters for tourists, a main entrance gate and cemented benches. Now, with the forest left unmonitored, fears grow that these structures will fall into disrepair and the area could become a den for anti-social elements.
Several organisations have urged the Kandhamal District Collector to hand over the maintenance of the Duluri Pine Forest to the same public-private trust currently managing the Hill View Park.
When contacted, BDO Preetiranjan Rath stated that during the winter months, the block administration had received Rs 70,000 from Duluri Pine Forest operations, as part of a shared revenue model with the SHGs. He emphasised that had ticketing continued, revenue would have been much higher.
District Collector Amrit Ruturaj, when approached for a response, said the responsibility for the site would be officially handed over to the Saanjasaru Development Trust from June 1. He mentioned he had already discussed the matter with the BDO.
Despite the Collector’s assurance, nearly a month has passed and the Duluri Pine Forest remains neglected with no headway in this regard. This has sparked renewed demands from various quarters for the immediate transfer of responsibility to the trust to prevent further damage and revenue loss.
PNN
