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Bengal

Department bans picnics in South Dinajpur forests

Department bans picnics in South Dinajpur forests
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Balurghat: South Dinajpur district Forest department has prohibited people from conducting picnics in the forests as the number of COVID-19 cases in the region is still on the rise.

"We have received a letter from the Division on Tuesday. It directed us not to allow anyone to conduct picnics inside the forests. We will conduct raids in the forests here so that no one violates the norm," said District Forest Ranger Abdur Razzak.

According to Razzak, earlier the district Forest department had decided to allow not more than 10 people to conduct picnics in the forests. But, later the decision was changed.

There are five forests —Danga, Paharpur, Dogachi, Kumarganj and Aiara — in the district, where the picnickers used to gather from December 25 to the end of January every year. Not just from the district, but people from neighbouring Raiganj and Malda used to visit the forests as well.

Meanwhile, the local residents of Balurghat have welcomed the forest department's decision. "The COVID-19 situation is still alarming in the region. The disease may spread rapidly if people are allowed to conduct picnics in forests," said a local, Arunava Dutta.

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