Trek-a-thon near Siswan on March 3

Mohali, February 27

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A trek-a-thon will be organised near the Siswan dam in the nearby forests to mark World Wildlife Day at Siswan Community Reserve by the Wildlife Division of the Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation, Punjab, on March 3.

Divulging details, Dr Monika Yadav, District Forest Officer, said this trek-a-thon was a step forward in bringing people to a common place with an intention to promote awareness about wildlife and its importance and Siswan Community Reserve was an ideal place for this. The Siswan Community Reserve holds a significant place in sustaining eco health of the area as well as livelihood of the nearby villagers.

Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan, ADC Aashika Jain, District Sports Officer Gurdeep Kaur are expected to participate in the trek-a-thon.

Dr Yadav said there would be options for three different thematic tracks namely nature trail, sentience path and serenity lane for the visitors to choose from in the area near to the Siswan dam. These tracks were rough terrains that go through the forest area and were capable of providing a rich experience of forests because of pristine trails and dense forests. These forests were a home to several wildlife species such as barking deer, pangolin and golden jackal.

Dr Yadav said visitors were requested to contact at 9855134040 to get registered and reach the Siswan dam by 8 am. The walk will conclude at Mirzapur Forest Rest House at 11.30 am.

The Punjab Government had recently announced to develop and promote Siswan as a prime and preferred eco-tourism destination. Keeping in mind the immense tourism potential of the area, various initiatives have been taken up in the area. Primarily, visitor amenities such as nature interpretation centre, thematic gates and signage, food court, washroom facilities, nature trails and jungle safari would be provided. Conservation issues such as introduction of spotted deer, wild hares and other species, which once thrived in the area but have reduced in numbers through the years, were also being addressed, he said. — TNS