India News | Eco-friendly Boat to Ferry Tourists in Bhitarkanika
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. A battery-operated and soundless boat has been thrown open for tourists at the Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district, a forest official said.
Kendrapara, Mar 23 (PTI) A battery-operated and soundless boat has been thrown open for tourists at the Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha's Kendrapara district, a forest official said.
The move was welcomed by an environmentalist, who elucidated that the sound of mechanised boats disturbs the serenity of the place, and distracts the saltwater crocodiles and other wild animals.
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Tourists can make use of the paid services of the eco-friendly boat, which will make continuous trips in the water bodies of the country's second-largest mangrove ecosystem.
The pollution-free state-of-the-art boat, was procured at the cost of Rs 23 lakh. It can carry eight people, according to the official.
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"We'll use this boat on an experimental basis for two months, following which more such boats would be purchased," Divisional Forest Officer, J D Pati said.
The Forest Department had introduced solar-powered three-wheelers in the park earlier for tourists to move around.
Green activist Hemant Rout said it was high time that the authorities motivate private boat operators to use noiseless boats in the water bodies of the sanctuary.
"The mechanised boats should be withdrawn in a phased manner," Rout added.
The wildlife sanctuary, which is essentially a network of creeks and canals, is home to the largest congregation of the endangered saltwater crocodiles in the country, according to Odisha Tourism.
The Gahirmatha beach, which forms the boundary of the sanctuary in the east, is the largest colony of the olive ridley turtles, according to its website.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)