Chandraprabha sanctuary: Not lush with tourists anymore

CHANDAULI: The betrayal of monsoon not only marred the prospects of paddy farmers of this rice bowl of Eastern UP, but also gave severe jolt to the forest department in terms of both revenue earning and tree plantation in the jungles.
The forests and waterfalls in Chandauli district have huge tourism potential. A visit to the Chakia-Naugarh hilly belt, particularly during the rainy season, makes one realise the real beauty gifted by nature.The forests, beautiful dams and waterfall always attract tourists. The region, with its major tourist attractions like Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary and water falls like Rajdari and Devdari, has tremendous possibility for development of tourism, specially eco-tourism and forestry.
But, the scant rain during this monsoon season, particularly in June, kept visitors away from the region. The visitor records at the Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary showed that only 57 persons visited the sanctuary in June. "The department had earned a revenue of over Rs 22,000 in June last year while we collected only Rs 2,240 as visitors fee this June," said Ram Prasad Yadav, the forest personnel on duty at the sanctuary. "This means, there has been a ten-time fall in visitors' arrival in June this year. However, the frequency of visitors' arrival increased in July and August," he informed TOI.
"Poor monsoon is responsible for this," points out Yadav. So far, only six foreigners have visited the sanctuary and waterfall this year while the number of foreign visitors was 17 in 2008-09. The Chandraprabha wildlife Sanctuary, once a habitat of Asiatic lions, is one of the major places of tourist attraction in the region. Located between Chakia and Naugarh, it is spread over an area of 9,600 hectare of forests, having a core area of 2,686 hectare and buffer area of 66,000 hectare.
Before the Naxal presence in this region, people used to flock here to enjoy the jungle beauty, particularly in rainy and winter seasons when the waterfalls are full of glamour with lush green foliage. Finding it a fit habitat, three Asiatic lions were introduced at Chandraprabha in 1957. The lions were found missing after 1970. The sanctuary, however, has a variety of wild animals including black bucks, chital, sambhar, nilgai, wild boar, porcupine and Indian gazelle. The reptilian species include gharial and python. The sanctuary was set up in 1957, covering the reserved forest area in Chandraprabha and Jaimohini range (partially). The waterfalls of Rajdari and Devdari are situated on Chandraprabha river, attracting people during rainy season.
In view of the tourism potential, the forest department has proposed development and promotion of eco-tourism or jungle tourism in the forests of Kashi wildlife division in Chandauli district. According to the the DFO, Kashi Wildlife Division, Ramnagar, the department has forwarded two proposals to the tourism department for the development of Rajdari waterfall and Arvatand waterfall, costing Rs 47 lakh and Rs 55 lakh respectively.
It is good news, but one has no control over monsoons. According to the records of the sanctuary, 15,833 visitors turned up to see the natural beauty in 2008-09 while 3,317 people visited the place this year till August 7.
Not only decrease in the number of visitors, but problems in tree plantation and saving the trees are other reasons to worry for the forest officials. "The trees we have planted are drying up in want of water," said the DFO.
With the beginning of the plantation season, the forest department launched the plantation drive. But, lack of proper rain gave a severe jolt to the plantation drive. According to forest personnel, for want of rain, not only germinating seeds were spoiled, but a large number of saplings also died.