Mumbai, Jan 31 (IANS): The Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister and state IT and Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar on Friday announced the launch of a ‘Leopard Safari’ at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivali in north Mumbai.
In a rare conservation gesture, he has also adopted two lions – ‘Bharat and Bharati’ for a year, taking personal responsibility for their upkeep.
During his visit to SGNP on Friday, Shelar inspected the park. He was accompanied by the suburban district collector Rajendra Kshirsagar, chief conservator Mallikarjuna G., deputy director Revati Kulkarni, assistant forest officer Sudhir Sonawane, chief security officer Yogesh Mahajan and other concerned officials.
“Currently, SGNP hosts tiger and lion safaris. Leopard cubs found in various parts of Maharashtra are brought and reared here. But tourists do not get to see leopards in their natural habitat. Nearly 30 hectares of land would be required for this purpose and it is available. The Leopard Safari can be started to offer visitors a unique wildlife experience while ensuring a safe and enriched environment for the rescued leopards and their cubs that have been rehabilitated in this park. This will not only enhance tourism but will also boost revenue,” a statement issued by the minister’s office said.
According to the officials, the cost of the project is estimated at Rs 5 crore. Every year, 20 lakh tourists visit this national park. If Leopard Safari is introduced, the number of tourists will increase thereby boosting revenues of the park, informed chief conservator Mallikarjuna G. who made a detailed presentation to the minister.
Shelar instructed to immediately initiate the process to start Leopard Safari and the funds needed will be jointly sourced from the forest department and the district planning committee. He also directed the district collector to expedite the proposal to bring the initiative to life at the earliest.
Meanwhile, Shelar announced to adopt two three-year-old cubs – ‘Bharat and Bharati’ which were brought to SGNP from Gujarat on Republic Day. The minister has decided to personally bear all the expenses for their care and well-being.
In a related development, the minister directed the SGMP officers to provide 400 workers immediate insurance cover for their safety. He assured that the necessary budgetary allocation for their insurance will also be made immediately. There are 400 workers in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park braving extreme weather conditions and in direct contact with wild animals. Most of them are tribals. Also, there is a team of 11 workers whose job is to protect both the wildlife and human settlements.