This winter tourists visiting the Chilika lake would have to pay new fares towards boating as pegged by the district administration.
Following repeated complaints of harassment from the boaters in the lake, the district administration issued fresh guidelines, including the revised fares for tourists, to pay Rs 800 and Rs 1,700 to visit dolphin centre and dolphins with sea mouth respectively.
Chairing a meeting of all stakeholders including police, Tourism, Wildlife Sanctuary and other line departments, besides the tour-operators and motorboat associations, Collector Jyoti Prakash Das reviewed the preparations and issued the fresh guideline. Among others,
SP Dr Sarthak Sarangi, DFO Balukhanda Wildlife Sanctuary Harsha Bardhan Udgata, ADM Binay Kumar Dash, Executive officer (EO), Puri Municipality Srikant Tarei and Assistant Director (AE) Tourism Bijay Kumar Jena were present.
As per the decisions, boaters taking the tourists to Chilka from seven jetty points would strictly follow the rates by ensuring no harassment and safety. Under close monitoring of police, the boaters would strictly follow the safety norms. Besides, boat associations were instructed to pay heed on safety of dolphins during a voyage. The sailors would ensure accident-free boating so that no harm is meted out to aquatics. This would be guided by the forest officials.
Similarly, in other tourist destinations of district, decisions were taken to upgrade the sanitation, cleanliness and drinking water facilities at ‘Pir Jahaniya’ in Astaranga, Chandrabhaga and Ramachandi beaches, besides the Puri seashore. Besides, tourists during their picnics in the sanctuary would also take more care and caution towards animals and birds so that they don’t feel threatened. Use of plastics and polythene packets has been restricted prohibited for tourists in all tourist places.
A decision was taken to deploy lifeguards in those beaches to look after tourists during their sea baths. To ensure the amenities to visitors, a team led by DFO Udgata and AD Tourism Jena was directed by the Collector to visit those places soon and submit a report.
