Central team to complete survey of Kullu's Great Himalayan National Park today

Mandi, December 8

A monitoring and evaluation survey to rank the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), Kullu, which is a Unesco World Heritage site, being conducted by a three-member team of the Wildlife Institute of India would conclude tomorrow. After conducting the survey of the Tirthan and Sainj sanctuaries, the team will submit a report to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.

Meera Sharma, Director-cum-Chief Conservator of Forest, GHNP, said the survey was being conducted by the Central team, which is the nodal agency for planning, promotion and overseeing the implementation of India’s environmental and forestry policies and programmes.

Meera said, “During the last survey in 2018, the GHNP and the Tirthan and Sainj sanctuaries had received an excellent rank in North India.”

Established in 1984, the GHNP is spread over 1,171 sq km. Elevations in the park range between 1,500 m and 6,000 m. The park is a habitat to numerous flora and more than 375 fauna species, including around 31 mammals, 181 birds, three reptil?es, nine amphibians, 11 annelids, 17 mollusks and 127 insects. They are protected under the strict guidelines of the Wildlife Protection Act-1972.

In June 2014, the park was added to the Unesco list of World Heritage Sites, under the criterion of “outstanding significance for biodiversity conservation”.