Cachar and Dibrugarh to flaunt Northeast’s first zoo cum safari

Northeast’s first zoo cum safari will be set up in Cachar and at Tingkhong under Dibrugarh constituency. Both of the zoos will also serve as rescue centres.

The zoo at Cachar will serve as breeding centre as well, which is a part of the safari plan, Cachar DFO Tezas Mariswami told India Today NE.

“It will also help boost tourism and increase livelihood through tourism in the region,” Mariswami said.

Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar in Odisha boasts such zoo cum wildlife safari which boosted tourism and livelihood of the region. 

The zoo cum Safari in Cachar will be set on 180 hectres of land and is located at 30 kms from Silchar. It will be set at the expense of Rs. 214.54 crore. The detailed project report (DPR) of which has been completed and construction tendering will be processed soon.

Dibrugarh DFO Sandeep Bendi that the Dibrugarh wildlife safari cum rescue centre at Tingkhong is currently in planning stage. It will be set up at Namdang Reserve Forest at an area of 150 hectares. The state government will spend around 250 crore for the set up.

With wild animals coming out from the wild and entering human habitats rescue centres have become need of the hour. Environmentalists noted that one of the reasons that wild animals come out from the wild is due to their dwindling habitats sparked by human population explosion. Increasing man-animal conflict in time to time has caused casualties on both sides. However, it is seen that animals are mostly affected due to the conflicts. 

Bendi while talking to this correspondent stated that The Dibrugarh wildlife safari cum rescue centre will fulfill the need of rescue and veterinary needs of animals in entire Upper Assam area.

“It will also cater to the need of districts of Arunachal Pradesh,” he said

“Many animals like leopard, birds and snakes are rescued from many areas in Upper Assam. Tea garden areas sometimes become habitats of these animals. Till now we are getting help of Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation. As soon as the Dibrugarh wildlife Safari and rescue centre opens it will become hub of all kind of activities. Till now the rescued animals are taken to Guwahati or Kaziranga. So a rescue centre in Dibrugarh will help forest officials to save time and life of these animals,” Bendi further said.