Forests dept to set up ‘Nagar Van’ in Illambazar

Kolkata: State Forest Minister Jyoti Priya Mullick on Friday said that his department has decided to set up “Nagar Van”, a fossil park on 1,080 hectors of land in Birbhum’s Illambazar. It comes under Bolpur forest range in Binuria mouza.

The Minister said that around 1,000-year-old fossils were found there. State government has already announced the premises as a heritage site.

A land measuring around 719 hectares that is situated beside the heritage site will be developed as tourism centres where there will be accommodation for the tourists.

The minister also pointed out that as it is a heritage site, fencing and other works will be done as per the norms.

During a question-and-answer session, the minister told the Assembly that his department has already taken up several steps to renovate the deer park in Birbhum’s Bolpur.

The department has taken several steps to give a new shape to the Bengal Safari Park. More facilities have been added, including two top class amphitheatres in it. Many more facilities are on the cards, said the state Forest minister. An accommodation will also be set up so that 20 tourists are able to stay there.

Around 30 hectares of land has been dedicated for lions and 32 hectares for tigers in the Safari Park. Around 12 lions and 18 tigers will be brought to the park soon. A hospital has been set up inside Darjeeling Zoo at a cost of Rs 5 crore.

It may be mentioned here that the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling, popularly known as the Darjeeling Zoo, had been adjudged the best zoo among all categories of zoos in the country by the Central Zoo Authority.

Zoos were evaluated on different parameters including, hygiene, research, health of animals, veterinary facilities, conservation breeding programmes and feedback from the visitors, among others.