Proposal for leopard safari in Gurugram to be ready by next month

Updated: Sep 19, 2019 21:12 IST

Dhananjay Jha 

Gurugram A detailed project report (DPR) for setting up a leopard safari and a lake in the foothills of the Aravalli forest at Gairatpur Bas — located 15 kilometres from Rajiv Chowk, close to Sector 77/78 — is likely to be ready by October 31, state forest minister Rao Narbir Singh said on Thursday.

He said that a sum of ₹300 crores will be allocated for the development of the leopard safari and lake over an area of 1,000 acres. A consultant, appointed last week, is likely to submit the DPR by the end of next month, when the next government will likely be formed in the state.

“The DPR preparation work began a week ago and I have asked the forest officials to submit it to the forest department by the end of October. We will have to place the DPR before the Cabinet for approval, after which a tender will be floated to start work. A sum of ₹300 crores will be allocated,” said Singh, adding that this will be the first safari in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) and Haryana.

The government hopes that the leopard safari will become a tourist hub, as Gairatpur Bas is a natural leopard zone. He said there is also scope for developing a lake for boating.

The locals said that leopards can be spotted moving freely in Gairatpur Bas. They said that the leopards rarely enter areas of human habitation and that barricades for setting up the safari would confine the movement of leopards.

Rambir Singh, a resident of Gairatpur Bas, said, “Leopards are wild animals and they are already facing a threat of losing their territory because of the ruin the Aravalli forest has been facing over the past two to three decades. They should not be put in any enclosure.”

Vinod Kumar, additional principal chief conservator forest Haryana, said, “Once the DPR is ready, we will be in a better position to comment what kind of safari it will be. We will not disturb the natural movement, feeding and breeding of leopards. We are working in consultation with wildlife experts of the country and under the guidance of the ministry of environment and forest.” He said there are about 100 leopards in the Aravallis, including 18 cubs.

A team of forest and wildlife officials, including Singh, had visited the lion safari at Gir in Gujarat, and Etawah (UP) last month ago. CR Babu, a Delhi-based wildlife expert and the man behind the development of the biodiversity park in south Delhi, said, “Without disturbing the natural movement of leopards, people can watch them, like in Gir forest and others. The leopards should not be confined to an enclosure.”
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