Residents staging protest in front of Ramatirtha Crocodile Breeding Centre | Express
BARIPADA: Residents of Jashipur in Mayurbhanj district, on Friday, staged a protest in front of Ramatirtha Crocodile Breeding Centre demanding its revival. The centre, they alleged, has been lying neglected since long. The protesters locked the main entrance of the centre for more than two hours in the morning.
Due to the apathy of the State Government, the crocodile breeding centre has not seen any development nor has their been any plan for its revival, alleged locals Deepak Mohanta and Sambhunath Mahakud. “Tourists who visit the centre never come to the place again as only six crocodiles, four males and two females, can be found in the centre. It is only due to lack of interest of the State Government that the centre is in a state of neglect and there has been no rise in the number of reptiles,” they further alleged.
The other demands of the protesters include allowing people for picnic at the centre, fee waiver for devotees in Ramtirtha fair on Makar Sankranti, a deer park, children’s park, boating facility and security arrangement at river Khairi Vandana along with a hanging bridge to cross the river.
They also submitted memorandum to regional chief conservator of forests (RCCF) and Jashipur police station a day ahead of the protest through deputy director of STR North Sai Kiran. I have sent the memorandum to RCCF T Ashok Kumar. The gate was opened after department officials convinced them, said Sai Kiran.
