Corbett, Rajaji parks opens for wildlife lovers amid strike

Dehra Dun, Nov 15 (UNI) With the opening of Jim Corbett Park and Rajaji National Park situated in Uttaranchal today after five months, wildlife lovers have started gushing in large numbers since the day one.

However, it is likely that the strike of the forest employees might mar the season.

''Wildlife lovers in large numbers have booked in advance and the department has braced itself up to provide them the best facilities, however, ongoing strike of the forest employees may adversely effect the season,'' said Rajiv Bhartari, Director of Jim Corbett park. He maintained that special arrangement for the entrance in the park from Kotdwar has been made this season that would avoid tourists from Rajastahn, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab from covering long distance in entering the park via Ramnagar. The park established on August 8, 1936 in the memory of legendary hunter Jim Corbett in 323.75 sq km area at Kalagarh, Nainital district has now been extended to 520.82 sq km. since then.

Meanwhile Chief Forest Conserver Srikant Chandola maintained that despite ongoing strike of the forest workers' would be ensured that they do not have to go through any inconvenience during their stay.

G S Pandey, Director of Rajaji National Park said that the entrance for the park spread in 820.42 sq km area has been opened from Chila Range, Haridwar. Large number of wildlife lovers have today already set out in Jungle Safari to enjoy the view of freely roaming wild animals like tigers, elephants, deer, bears and many others. ''Presently we have two elephants in service and two more are likely to arive from Delhi very soon,'' he said. He apprised that about 12000 tourists including foreign tourists visited the park in the last season adding that the park would be opened till June 15 next year.

On the other hand making things difficult for the department, the forest workers already on the agitating mode demanding restructuring of the department, have threatened to go on symbolic strike from November 20 to 22 and would further take recourse to indefinite strike from November 23 if their demands were not given heed by the government.

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