1 month ago
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A time aft the tragic decease of a tourer from Tamil Nadu who was caught successful a furious clash betwixt captive elephants Kanjan and Marthanda, the fashionable Dubare Elephant Camp adjacent Kushalnagar successful Kodagu has been closed indefinitely for visitors.
“The campy volition stay closed for tourists until further instructions,” a elder wood authoritative said.
The determination follows directions issued by Forest Minister Eshwar B. Khandre to fortify tourer information measures astatine elephant camps crossed the State aft the incidental astatine Dubare.
The Minister has ordered the mentation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for visitant information and instructed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden to tighten information protocols.
Also, officials person been directed to guarantee that tourists bash not spell adjacent elephants and support a minimum region of 100 ft portion watching elephant bathing activities astatine each elephant camps successful the State. The restrictions are aimed astatine regulating tourer enactment with captive elephants and preventing a recurrence of incidents akin to the 1 reported astatine Dubare.
Importantly, tourists volition nary longer beryllium allowed to straight provender elephants with bananas, jaggery, sugarcane oregon different nutrient items. Amid the directives, the Forest Department decided to temporarily adjacent the campy until information protocols are enactment successful place.
Kodagu Deputy Conservator of Forests Abhishek told The Hindu that the closure is apt to stay successful unit until visitant information SOPs are finalised. “Until determination is assurance that visitors are safe, the campy volition stay retired of bounds for tourists,” helium said.
He noted that Dubare receives important tourer footfall successful Kodagu and is among the district’s large attractions. Along with Harangi and Nisargadhama, Dubare remains 1 of the cardinal tourer destinations successful the region.
