Assam's Kaziranga National Park to reopen on Oct 21; CM Sonowal to attend opening ceremony

Ending its shutdown, the iconic Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam will reopen for tourists on October 21, 2020. The park was shut from March due to the COVID-19 outbreak and floods. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will be present at the park opening ceremony on Tuesday at 11 am. 

READ | Assam: Educational Institutions To Reopen From November 2; Govt Issues Guidelines

Assam: Kaziranga National Park to open after a lengthy shutdown

The general notice issued by Eastern Assam Wildlife Division read, "Due to inclement weather and road conditions, only jeep safari would be open for tourists at Kaziranga Range, Kohra and Western Range, Bagori". Until the next update, the jeep safari in the Kaziranga Range will be open up to 'Donga watch tower' and 'Bimoli Tiniali', said the statement. The opening date for Eastern Range, Ghorakati and the elephant ride in the national park will be notified in the upcoming days. 

READ | Watch: Assam Medic Dances On 'Ghungroo' To Make COVID-19 Patients Happy, Netizens Applaud

Assam floods: 132 animal deaths reported at Kaziranga National Park

During the annual Assam floods, Kaziranga National Park had been one of the worst-hit regions in the state and it reported several wildlife deaths. As per the latest reports of the Assam Government, over 132 animal deaths were recorded at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, Bokahat. This death tally includes 14 rhinos, 5 wild buffaloes, 8 wild boars, 2 swamp deer, 98 hog deer, 1 sambar, 3 porcupines and 1 Python.

READ | Assam-Mizoram Border Issue: CM Sonowal Thanks PM Modi Over 'assurance' To Solve Dispute

Kaziranga National Park's official report on the floods had read, "Nearly 90 per cent of the national park's 430 sq km area was under inundation. The officials have been constantly working towards rescuing the animals stranded along with its forest camps. However, with the floodwater slowly receding, officials fear the death toll may increase, as they begin to recover bodies of the drowned animals."

Over 122 people lost their lives in Assam floods and landslides this year, while 25 lakh people were affected in total. During the floods, 1,543 villages were completely submerged underwater and 1,22,573.16 hectares of crop area was also damaged across the state. Assam government had started 496 relief camps and distribution centres in 22 districts, where 50,136 people took shelter. 

READ | Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal Asserts BJP Will Return To Power After Assembly Polls In 2021