STATE: North East India’s largest flower garden will be developed in Tripura. In a pilot project, this flower garden will be developed in East Tachaya ADC Village of Tulashikhar Forest Range in the Khowai District of the state. Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma said this in a press conference organized on Tuesday. In the press conference, the Forest Minister highlighted various development projects of the Forest Department. He expressed hope that this flower garden will be attractive to tourists if it is built in the pilot project. Later such flower gardens will be developed in other districts of the state.

In a press conference, he said that as part of the Forest Festival 2024 program, the Forest Department had decided to plant 5 lakh trees across the state on July 5 at 5 p.m. Initiatives have been taken to include various institutions including schools, colleges, and NGOs in this program. In the implementation of this program in July, free saplings will be distributed to schools, colleges, and various institutions from the department.

Animesh Debbarma also quoted that the need to cut trees for the expansion of roads and national highways in the state is being noticed. The forest department has decided to plant flowers and fruit trees on national highways, and roadsides, to balance the environment. It has been decided to hold one cultural program every weekend at the stage located inside the Agartala Heritage Park. There are plans to build a multi-utility central hall and an aquarium at Nehru Park in Gorkhabasti

However, the department has taken special initiatives to develop the Sepahijala Sanctuary to modern standards. Initiatives have been taken to build eco-tourism by utilizing Atharamura and Jampui Hills. Also, a bunch of programs will be taken up in the livelihood of the people under the initiative of the Forest Department under the Externally Aided Project. About 300 crore rupees will be spent on this, Animesh Debbarma said in a press conference.

Additionally, the Forest Minister stressed that in places with heavy elephant mobility, separate paths will be constructed for their travel. There will be five anti-depredation camps established to address the issue of wild elephants. Watch towers will be erected as a trial project in the Teliamura forest range area to monitor elephants around the clock. Elephant passage will be facilitated by the construction of “underpasses” in the Ambassa-Mungiakami and Mungiakami-Chakmaghat mountains. This underpass is passable by elephants. There will be designated elephant watchers who will observe the elephants through the tower.