‘Tripura sanctuary can be made tourist spot’

AGARTALA: Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary in Tripura, the country’s only natural breeding centre of bisons, could be developed as a major tourist spot, a forest official said on Wednesday.
The sanctuary located in Belonia subdivision of South Tripura district, around 100 km from here, boasts of many resident and migratory birds, Divisional Forest Officer (South) Harsha Kumar said.
“Two watch towers to see the animals and a butterfly park were developed recently and the vast lake in the sanctuary was renovated with boating facilities. The area could easily be developed as tourist hotspot if the department ropes in the Tourism department,” he said.
According to the last census conducted in 2013, around 130 bisons were found in the two blocks of the sanctuary.
The official was upbeat that the animal’s population was on the rise as newborn calves of bisons have been spotted grazing in the sanctuary.  “This is a well managed sanctuary. A grass land was also developed in the core area, so that the animals need not come out of the area in search of food,” the official said.
As the sanctuary is located near the Indo-Bangla border,poaching by hunters from Bangladesh had been rampant, but with the erection of barbed wire fencing on the border last year,poaching has come to zero, Kumar added. (PTI)