The First Natural 'Kosa Sanctuary' will come up in Kuhera-Rakhi area of Atal Nagar region .

This would also be the first Sanctuary in the country which would be in line with cottage industry as with Kosa production, employment will be generated, officials informed.

Gramudyog Directorate, (Sericulture division), Raipur is working on development of the Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary area is around 200 hectares and has maximum Arjuna plants, the leaves of which are consumed by the kosa moth caterpillar. The total time period of caterpillar conversion to cocoon is two months. The target set for production is 30 lakh cocoons per year. It will help to fill gap of supply and demand of local weavers.

As per the primary plan, in the Sanctuary, for release of ‘Dabha’ kosa moth caterpillars will be released through six release camps per year. Thus around one crore kosa caterpillars will be released in a year through the camps.

The estimated production is around 40 lakh cocoons. Out of which that is 80% (means 32 lakh cocoons) will be collected by beneficiaries of the villages and from them at Rs 2 per cocoon, the procurement will be done.

The remaining 8 lakh cocoons that is, 20% will be utilised as germplasm in the Sanctuary itself. This is to develop the self-sustaining cycle of silk moth naturally. Every year the collection will be around 80 percent cocoons only. This will also help to conserve the other wild fauna, conservation of plants and trees, plantation of Arjuna trees in vacant plots. The Atal Nagar Development Authority, Raipur will hold the land title ownership while Sericulture department will work on Kosa production.