Latest news with #Nagaravanam
New Indian Express
15-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Jungle safari to come up at Mulapadu Butterfly Park in Andhra
VIJAYAWADA: In a significant move to promote forest tourism and increase revenue for forest development, the NTR district forest department is gearing up to launch a Jungle Safari at the Mulapadu Butterfly Park on a trial basis. Located within the Kondapalli Reserve Forest at Mulapadu village, the Butterfly Park was inaugurated in 2018 and has since become a popular destination for nature enthusiasts. It is the first of its kind in NTR district and the second in Andhra Pradesh after Visakhapatnam. The park is home to nearly 50 species of butterflies, including 15 rare ones. To enhance the visitor experience, the forest department, in collaboration with NGOs, developed a two-kilometre butterfly trail where visitors can observe various butterfly species in their natural habitat. The park underwent further development recently, funded with `1.5 crore from APGENCO's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative and `2 crore from Nagaravanam funds. It reopened to the public in January this year with upgraded amenities. Taking a major leap forward, the department plans to introduce a Jungle Safari covering a 14-kilometre route through the forest, culminating at the famous Lord Anjaneya Swamy temple. Two vehicles have been procured and are being modified for the safari. 'We fixed a charge of `300 per person. The Jungle Safari will be launched soon and operated based on public response,' said NTR District Forest Officer Satish. Over the past six months, the Butterfly Park has attracted more than 18,000 visitors, generating `5 lakh in revenue. Officials expect the Jungle Safari to further boost tourist footfall, particularly during weekends, when additional rides will be arranged. Simultaneously, the department is working to strengthen wildlife-friendly infrastructure, including check dams and water tanks, and plans to restrict private vehicle access near the park to protect the habitat. An open information centre has been set up to educate visitors about butterflies, along with a butterfly-themed children's play area. Additionally, proposals are under discussion for establishing a zoo spanning 200 to 300 acres within the Kondapalli Reserve Forest, aiming to position the area as a leading eco-tourism hub in AP.
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
74,921 trees felled for NH66 development in Kerala; replacement slow
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When the National Highways Authority of India envisioned an ambitious plan to reduce the travel time between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram from 15 hours to just seven, the cost paid was green, quite literally. As many as 74,921 trees were felled for highway development across the state. Although replantation has been promised, progress has been snail-paced. The plan was to plant ten times the number of trees that were cut. However, the actual replantation so far stands at just 55,540. Therefore, a total of 6,93,670 saplings are yet to be planted. Currently, replantation efforts are only taking place in two areas: Kadampattukonam-Kazhakoottam in Thiruvananthapuram and Thalappady - Kalikkadavu in Kasaragod. The goal is to complete the replantation in tandem with the highway project, but according to officials from the Social Forestry Department, the delay is largely due to the difficulty in identifying suitable land. 'As there are challenges in identifying land for the project, we are considering alternatives such as block planting, 'Nagaravanam' (urban forests), and 'Vidyavanam' (school forests). For the 23 stretches across nine districts, proposals for compensatory afforestation are being prepared. These will be submitted to the NHAI for fund release,' said Ajay Ghosh, an official with the state social forestry department. Of the 55,540 plants currently on the ground, 23,540 are in Kozhikode, 24,000 have been planted at Sainik School, Thiruvananthapuram, and 8,000 at the Greenfield Stadium in the same district. NHAI, which is constrained by land availability, has signed an MoU with the social forestry department to identify planting locations and submit cost estimates. 'There is no delay from our side in fund disbursement. We have already allocated funds for stretches in Kasaragod, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram. For the remaining areas, we are awaiting estimates from the social forestry department,' said an NHAI official who wished to remain anonymous. As the social forestry department has proposed a shift from the original 1:10 planting scheme to the Nagaravanam and Vidyavanam models, NHAI has stated that they have got the revised plan approved.
