Team fined for shooting song in Pong Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary
r Correspondent
Nurpur, April 20
Frequent visits of tourists as well as video shooting of Punjabi songs in the Bathu Di Lari in the Pong Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary in Jawali sub division of Kangra district has put a question mark on the authorities concerned that are responsible for checking violation of the ban of movement of visitors in the wildlife area imposed in the wake of second phase of outbreak of Avian Influenza (H5N8) in the last week of March month.
A video shooting of Punjabi songs in the Bathu Di Lari on Tuesday attracted a huge crowd of spectators who watched the shooting without following SOPs of physical distancing and wearing of masks adding to the risk of community spread of Covid 19 in this inter- state border area.
The DC directed the SDM Fatehpur and Jawali police to check violation of Covid SOPs and violation of ban on the movement of visitors in the area. Jawali DSP Sidharth Sharma said the police after conducting an inquiry fined the Punjabi song video shooting team which had not taken the requisite permission and violated the restriction imposed by the Wildlife Department.
As per the information, a large number of tourists from the neighboring Punjab have been visiting this particular destination for the past over one week. The Bathu Di Lari remained submerged into Pong reservoir water after monsoon season and came out from the deep water on the onset of every summer. The Wildlife Department had put a signboard restricting the movement of visitors in Bathu Di Lari Wildlife Sanctuary area.
A tower here on the verge of collapse is also attracting visitors who used to climb it risking their lives. Any mishap can occur due to crumbling tower.
