Aravalli Safari park: Boon for tourism or threat to environment?

The Aravalli Safari Project is an ambitious initiative by the Haryana government to develop a vast wildlife safari park, spanning approximately 10,000 acres across the mountain range.

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The project would cover 18 villages in the Gurugram and Nuh districts.

The proposal for the Jungle Safari is nearly complete, with efforts underway to inaugurate it on World Wildlife Day, with a possible opening by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Objective

The Aravalli Safari Project aims to achieve several objectives:

-Eco-Tourism Promotion: It seeks to position the region as a major eco-tourism destination, drawing both domestic and international visitors.

-Biodiversity Conservation: The project will focus on conserving wildlife, featuring a range of species, including big cats, amphibians, herbivores, and more.

-Employment Generation: By promoting tourism, the park is expected to create jobs for local communities, from wildlife management to hospitality and tourism-related services.

Main features

The safari park will feature various attractions, including animal enclosures, botanical gardens, aquariums, cable cars, hotels, and even an animal hospital. The park will also host a bird park, nature trails for trekking, and an immersive underwater world. These features aim to educate visitors about wildlife conservation while offering an engaging experience.

Status

Initially assigned to the Tourism Department, the Jungle Safari project is now being executed by the Forest and Wildlife Department. The project is progressing rapidly. To enhance the project’s development, Environment, Forest, and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh recently visited successful wildlife projects, including the Gorewada Wildlife Safari in Nagpur and the Vantara Project in Jamnagar, Gujarat, to study best practices and ensure smooth execution.

Environmentalists resisting

While the project has garnered support for its potential to boost tourism and conservation, it has faced resistance from groups of environmentalists. Critics are concerned that the development of the safari park could threaten the fragile ecosystem of the Aravalli range, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. They argue that the construction could disrupt the natural habitats of many species and lead to deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and loss of biodiversity. Environmentalists emphasise the importance of preserving the ecological balance of the region and maintaining the integrity of its natural resources.