Tourists resent hike in Simlipal entry fee

Baripada, July 10 (UNI) The recent hike of entry fee to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) has caused resentment among the foreign and domestic tourists.

Australian tourists-Michael Shone and David Shone, while reacting to the unprecedented hike, said the STR's theme would be now ''Pay more, come less.'' Both of them skipped their proposed visit and left Baripada, leaving a protest note with the Tourist Information Officer here.

Similarly, M David, a tourist from London, in his protest note said, ''It was ridiculous to pay Rs.1000 per day per person for entry into Simlipal.'' Perhaps the government was not keen to encourage the foreign tourists to visit Simlipal, he said.

A steep ten-fold hike in the entry fee for foreign tourists and a four-fold increase for Indian tourists from this year has led to a decline in the tourist flow to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) and the National Park, he said.

The department sources said the foreigners, who used to pay Rs 100 per day per ticket, are now paying Rs 1000 while the Indian tourists are paying Rs 40 instead of Rs 10.

Sources said the hike was effected from the first week of April and has been enforced in the STR from November 1.

This year only 14,253 tourists have entered into the tiger abode till its closure in monsoon on June 16.

According to 2004 pugmark-based census, the reserve is the home to 101 Royal Bengal Tigers, 127 leopards, besides harbouring many rare and endangered species of flora and fauna.

Meanwhile, the locals have also reacted against the introduction of entry fee from this year for visiting Deokund and other tourist spots inside the STR.

A cascading waterfall and a temple of Goddess Ambika, atop the hills, are the main attractions of Deokund. Located on the fringe of the buffer zone of Simlipal, Deokund also attracts annual religious congregations, besides the tourists.

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