Hundreds throng Saralpara picnic spot amidst COVID pandemic

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: Despite COVID-19 positive cases increasing at an alarming rate, hundreds of visitors, mainly youths, are seen every day at Saralpara picnic spot, a magnificent hotspot along the Indo-Bhutan foothills for picnickers. One may not get space to park vehicles, especially on Saturday and Sunday, as on these days there is complete lockdown in municipal and bazar committee areas in Assam.

The visitors are not only from Kokrajhar district but people of other districts also. They come to Saralpara to enjoy the scenic beauty and for refreshment. A B.Tech student of Kokrajhar CIT hailing from Gossaigaon lost life while swimming in the high current Swrmanga Rivulet recently. But despite this fact, the number of visitors has not come down. The picnic spot, on the other hand, is not safe from the COVID-19 pandemic as visitors do not follow the safety protocol.

Saralpara is about 65 km north of Kokrajhar town. It is situated along the Indo-Bhutan border and the headquarter of Sarpang Dzonkhag (DC) is nearby. Earlier, people used to visit Sarpang town in Bhutan where no immigration permit was required for Indians to go there. Voter card is enough to visit up to certain points in Sarpang or in Gelegphu, border town of Bhutan. Besides Sarpang, people also visit the beautiful Chorkolling, Dekiling for shopping and to enjoy the scenic beauty. But since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhutan has kept its gates closed for visitors.

Saralpara, just down the hills of Bhutan in the southern part, is inhabited mainly by Nepali, Bodo and Adivasi people. Visitors have to go through thick jungles of Chirang Reserve Forest under Haltugaon Forest Division from Digli to Saralpara. The thick jungles have been destroyed and encroached upon by illegal encroachers from Ultapani to Saralpara.

The department of forest has allegedly failed to stop destruction of forest and subsequent encroachment. Conscious section of people wonder whether the department will be able to recover the once green forest with all its scenic beauty from the illegal encroachers.

Ultapani is another important place for worship. There is big Bathou Thanshali at Ultapani and an abandoned forest bungalow built by the British. The BTC forest department has re-built it by doing away with the old wooden structures. In the west, there is the famous Na Bhander from where a stream called Ultapani originated and flows towards the east side.

The Bishmuri-Saralpara road via Ultapani is famous for various species of butterflies. There are over hundred species of butterflies found on the road. Besides, it is also famous for the golden langur, hornbill, elephant, monkey, mongoose and various species of birds. Visitors can see wild elephants roaming on the road very often.

The Manas- Chirang-Ripu reserve forest is being destroyed due to alleged negligence of the forest department. Encroachments are continuing unabated. Elephants are losing their habitat. Conscious people have opined that the reserve forest should be declared as 'wildlife zone' for its protection. 

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