KATHUA: The Jasrota Wildlife Sanctuary is about to get a new lease of life. The Forest Department is all set to revive it as a major tourist destination and reinvigorate its pristine glory by providing state of the art tourist facilities without disturbing its ecological balance. Minister of Forest, Environment and Ecology Choudhary Lal Singh informed this while touring Jasrota Wildlife Sanctuary along with senior officers of Forest department and its allied wings.
The Minister said that several initiatives are in the pipeline to make Jasrota Wildlife Sanctuary a sought after tourist destination as this sanctuary is home to several rare species of animals and birds. He also said that efforts are afoot to rejuvenate various ponds inside the sanctuary besides strengthening the walls of Jasrota Fort.
“Ponds have always been the lifeline of the area and are useful for harvesting rain water for various needs. Ponds help avert drought and maintain climatic balance in extreme weather conditions,” Lal Singh said and directed the concerned officers to excavate and rejuvenate water bodies for general benefit which are relevant for the rural life. To facilitate last mile connectivity for easy access to the sanctuary, the Minister said that the link road from National highway to the sanctuary will be expanded very soon.