SEMADOH (MELGHAT): With a view to keep core and critical tiger habitats (CTHs) inviolate as per National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines, the management of 2000 sq km Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) is developing Chourakund, Harisal and Shahanoor as new eco-tourism hubs.
The new guidelines of centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) of 'Project Tiger' states, "core and CTHs should not be used for any form of tourism, and the ongoing tourism activities in such areas should be phased out to fringe and buffer areas without affecting its corridor value."
At present, in MTR, 55 sq km area is open for tourism at Semadoh. Tourists gain entry to see wildlife from Semadoh and Chikhaldara side. Whereas tourists from Khandwa and Burhanpur side in Madhya Pradesh are isolated. With development of Chourakund and Harisal ranges in Sipna Wildlife Division, 30-35 km from Semadoh, all tourists will stand to gain.
The guest house at Chourakund will be handed over to Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), which has signed an MoU with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) to commercially exploit eco-tourism in wildlife areas by developing facilities. In Melghat, apart from Chourakund, guest houses at Hatru, Chunkhadi, Rangubeli and Tarubanda will also be handed over to the FDCM.
"Chourakund and Harisal have one of the best forest patches with presence of leopards and tigers and other wildlife. It has huge tourism potential, which will be spread over 100 sq km area and will also be included in the working plan. It will take some time before we throw the area open for tourists," said A K Mishra, field director of MTR.
Semadoh Sankul, which has good accommodation facilities, will be discouraged for tourists in future as it falls in core zone of the tiger reserve. However, activities like nature education camps for students will be continued, officials said. Similarly, Shahanoor under Akot Wildlife Division of Melghat will be another eco-tourism hotspot. However, this will not mean discouraging tourists in 12 sq km Narnala Wildlife Sanctuary.
M S Reddy, deputy conservator of forests (DyCF), Akot Division, said Shahanoor is two kms from Narnala and is situated on revenue land. Every year, Rs 40 lakh are being given under the district planning development committee (DPDC) funds to develop Shahanoor. He said that Rs 60 lakh have been proposed for Narnala and Shahanoor. In Shahanoor, plans were afoot to set up additional accommodation, nature trails and education facilities.
The MTR comprises Gugamal National Park (where tourists are not allowed) and four sanctuaries - Melghat, Wan, Narnala and Ambabarwa, besides multiple use area (MUA). Mishra said Melghat's beautiful landscape gave it rich eco-tourism potential. "Considering the large area, flow of tourists is less. In 2009-10, 23,462 tourists visited Melghat, a rise of 962 over 2008-09 figure. More tourists can be attracted if about 15 British-era rest houses and inspection huts in MTR are developed," Mishra added.
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