Post News Network
Bantala, April 6: After banning fishing in river Mahanadi inside Satkosia Sanctuary, forest officials are planning to shut down the eco-tourism project as part of their latest move to impose curbs on the villagers. However, the move has triggered sharp resentment among the villagers.
The eco-tourism project, a community participation project, helped in attracting more tourists to the Sanctuary and in curbing forest crimes. It also proved beneficial for scores of villagers inside the sanctuary by providing them with an alternative means of livelihood.
On the lines of Bhitarkanika and Similipal sanctuaries, some inexperienced officers are planning to shut down the project to hand it over to big hotel groups through auctions, sources said.
Villagers under the aegis of Satkosia Abhayaranya and Praja Surakhya Samiti have termed the move illegal. They also threatened to move court if the officers proceeded with the move and said they will not allow them to enter the sanctuary.
The project established a direct link between forest officials and villagers and also helped in forest conservation and in growth of life and livelihood programmes.
Sources said the Satkosia sanctuary, which houses Satkosia tiger reserve project, was once used to be a safe haven for timber smugglers and poachers.
However, things changed for the better after some sincere officers involved the villagers in forest conservation. The villagers reciprocated in equal
measure following which timber smuggling and poaching was reduced to
a great extent.
Former divisional forest officers (DFOs) like Susant Nanda, Raghu Prasad and Arun Mishra also involved the villagers in several livelihood projects and soon eco-tourism project started in Tikarpada and Chutkei inside the sanctuary. The project also helped in management of wastes like polythene in the jungle.