AT Photo: Cleanliness drive observed in Kaziranga National Park on the occasion of World Tourism Day
Kaziranga, Sept. 27: Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) is all set to welcome visitors on October 2 and ahead of the much-awaited reopening, a cycle rally cum cleanliness drive was organised at the park on Friday.
Coinciding with the World Tourism Day, the drive aimed at making Kaziranga litter and plastic-free ahead of the busy tourist season. About 200 people, including members of various organisations and locals, participated in the programme organised in the Kohora range of the national park.
“Once the tourist season begins, we will see a lot of plastic-driven pollution caused in Kaziranga, especially in the Kohora range. We want to spread the message of a litter-free and carbon-free Kaziranga and have been making arrangements for the disposal of plastics. The government authorities are also helping us in this,” said Ranger Bibhuti Gogoi,
Several associations, including the Golaghat Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), Greater Kaziranga Reporters Association, Hotel Association, Tourist Guide Association, as well as the officials of the Forest Department, participated in the programme.
Highlighting that the cleanliness drive coincides with the Swachchata Sewa Abhiyan to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti, an official from the Golaghat Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), Biswajit Gogoi said, “This cleanliness drive started out in Golaghat from September 17 and will continue till October 2. This movement was envisaged as a people’s movement. Through the cleanliness drive today, we strive to be agents of cleanliness.”
Gogoi also stated that cleanliness drives must not be a one-day event and a collective civic sense is required to keep the national park and its environment clean and pollution-free.
The PHC official continued, “We are carrying out this cleanliness drive to keep Kaziranga clean so that it is habitable for both people and the flora and fauna.”
Gogoi added that such steps are also taken to attract more tourists to the National Park.
