Nagpur: In a good news to lakhs of devotees of Lord Mahadeo, Nagdwar and other pilgrimage sites around Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh are likely to be excluded from Satpura Tiger Reserve. The Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Prakash Javadekar, on the ‘demand’ of his colleague Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, has approved the controversial move. While the move will help develop the pilgrimage centres for devotees, it would also increase disturbance in one of the critical tiger habitats of central India.
Around 3 lakh devotees from Nagpur district visit Pachmarhi during two annual fairs every year. Right now the distance is 270 km. It will be reduced to 210 km in case 16 sq km were excluded from Satpura National Park and Tiger Reserve. Bowing to the demand of Gadkari, MoEFCC has reportedly assured exclude the pilgrim centres from national park.
Chairman of Standing Committee of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) Sudhir Raut on Wednesday said the proposal was to delete 16 sq km area from Satpura National Park and Tiger Reserve. “Gadkari raised the issue with Javadekar after the meeting on Nag river pollution abatement project on Tuesday. Collector of Hoshangabad Sanket Bhonde was also present. Javadekar was convinced with the proposal and asked MP Forest Department to put up a proposal with immediate effect. MoEFCC will delete the area once it receives proposal from MP forest department,” he said.
Nagdwar temple along with Kajri Gram, Swargdwar, Chintamani, Gupt Ganga, Kala Jhad etc are covered in the proposed 16 sqkm area. Raut also said the route to Nagdwar and adjoining pilgrimages sites from Nagpur will be shortened by 60km. Around 3 lakh devotees from Nagpur district visit Pachmarhi during two annual fairs every year. Right now the distance is 270 km. It will be reduced to 210 km in case 16 sq km were excluded from Satpura Tiger Reserve,” Raut said.
Raut further said the annual fair during the month of ‘Shravan’ can be organized for a period of one month instead of existing one week. “There are restrictions as the area is in tiger reserve. Proper facilities to devotees cannot be provided,” he said.
– Rajeev Ranjan Kushwaha ( rajeev.nagpurtoday@gmail.com )
