With a view to attract more tourists and pilgrims visiting the winter capital, and to help boost the economic activities, the Government is exploring possibilities to promote eco-tourism in and around the Jammu city.To assess the feasibility of areas and availability of land for creating these facilities, Minister for Forest, Ecology & Environment, Bhali Bhagat, today visited various localities and discussed ways and means with the officers of Forests Department and its allied wings. In this connection, he visited Manda Wildlife Centaury, Nagrota, Khanpur and other areas around Jammu city.The Minister also visited the proposed site for the construction of Jammu Zoo (Shivalik Biological Park) near Nagrota and took appraisal of the features of the Zoo from the concerned. On the occasion, the Minister was apprised that the proposed Zoo is aimed at attracting millions of pilgrims and tourists visiting the State and proposed to be developed over an area of 3200 kanals. The project contains several facilities of tourist attraction, children entertainment, like eco-parks, wildlife enclosures, bird centuries with large number of species from the world around, herbal parks, cafeterias, facilities of public utilities, parking spots and other things which are available in the national level zoos across the country.
He was further informed that the Central Government has already approved the project involving an estimated cost of around Rs. 100 crore and likely to be received the formal sanction of this ambitious project which will fulfill the long pending demands of the Jammu region for having a fulfilled zoo.The Minister evinced keen interest in the project and suggested earmarking adequate area for parking with an appropriate scope of futuristic expansion. He directed the concerned to chase the project actively with the Union Ministry for Environment, to clear the bottlenecks so that the project is kick started at the earliest.During his visit to Manda Wildlife Centaury, Deer Park and walking paths at Ramnagar forests, the Minister issued instructions to the officers for the proper upkeep of Centaury and upgradation of morning walkers’ tracks. He also directed creating some basic public amenities without disturbing the natural beauty of the area.Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr. A.K. Singh, Principal Chief Wildlife Warden, Mr. Deepak Khanna, Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr. Roshan Jaggi, Director, Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing, Mr. O.P. Sharma, Conservator of Forests, Mr. Brij Mohan Sharma, DFO, Jammu, Dr. V.S. Senthil and other officers of Forests and Wildlife Departments accompanied the Minister.