To boost eco-tourism, jobs, Haryana plans jungle safari, green wall project in Aravalli region

Haryana’s Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh said the state has drawn up plans for a jungle safari and the Aravalli Green Wall Project aimed at conserving biodiversity, promoting eco-tourism and generating employment in the Aravalli region.

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Calling the initiative a milestone in environmental conservation, the minister said the Centre had entrusted Haryana with implementing the Green Wall Project and developing the safari. The Aravalli range, one of India’s oldest mountain systems, stretches across Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi, covering about 1.15 million hectares.

Singh underlined the urgency of the project, citing global climate change and pollution. “Only by being sensitive to nature and wildlife can we maintain environmental balance,” he said. The growing involvement of youth and private organisations in wildlife conservation, he added, is reinforcing government efforts.

Originally under the tourism department, the project has now been handed over to the forest department on the directive of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. Singh said he had drawn inspiration from visits to the Gorewada Safari in Nagpur and the Vantara project in Gujarat, and the goal is to have the Haryana safari inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Green Wall Project will focus on afforestation using native species, improving soil health, recharging groundwater and preserving biodiversity. It will also create jobs for local youth as ‘Van Mitras’ (forest companions), he added.