BALASORE: The Forest department’s decision to prohibit tourists and picnickers from entering a 2.5 km radius by creating fencing around the popular Udaipur-Talasari beach for an unspecified duration has not gone down well with the locals.
Villagers from Sahabajipur and neighbouring areas alleged it was an arbitrary restriction of the Forest department. The ban, affecting both footfall of tourists and picnic activities, has left many visitors from enjoying the picturesque site while driving them away to Digha in West Bengal.
The ban has caused revenue loss for the government besides adversely impacting the income of local businesses and the livelihoods of the community, locals complained. Sarpanch of Sahabajipur Arun Kumar Gir, along with members of Vana Surakshya Samiti Kanhu Charan Behera and Sudhir Chandra Behera, joined numerous other villagers alleging that tourists are going away to neighbouring Digha due to the Forest department’s fencing of over five hectare of the beach.
“Forester Paramananda Nayak cited concerns about potential destruction to the casuarina forest and said the area has been marked a prohibitive area and it has been done to prevent both tourists and locals from entering,” they further alleged.
The villagers submitted a memorandum to Balasore DFO Khushwant Singh, demanding removal of the fence and immediate restoration of access for tourists and picnickers. They also threatened to take to the streets if the ban is not lifted immediately. Regional chief conservator of forest and field director of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), Prakash Chand Gogineni, assured that he will look into the matter.