Shimla: Counted as a rich reserve of undisturbed western Himalayan flora and fauna, the Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, got its official website today.
Launched here in the presence of forest minister Thakur Sigh Bharmouri, the park web address at http://www.greathimalayannationalpark.org, documents the rare wealth of mammalian and bird life found in this protected reserve.
Speaking on the occasion park director BS Rana said the need for an official website was long felt due the confusion created by the presence of many websites that were floated by individuals and commercial tour operators.
He said that insignia of GHNP was the exclusive property of the Government of Himachal Pradesh and action would be initiated against other websites who were unauthorizedly using it for their own interests.
The forest minister asked the reserve wardens to improve eco-tourism facilities in the park.
Newly inducted minister Karan Singh, who was present on the occasion, asked for improving connectivity inside the park
Spread over 754.4 square kilometers of Himalayan territory that merges with two others sanctuaries along Tirthan and Sainj river valley of an area of 265.6 square kilometers forming part of its eco-zone, the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) was established in 1984.
At the June 2014 World Heritage Site committee convention, GHNP bid for World Heritage Status at Doha in Qatar was accepted by the UN body.
The park has one of the largest protected populations of the highly endangered Western Horned Tragopan pheasant. The wide altitudinal range of the park also has rare animals like musk deer, Serow, Snow Leopard, Koklas, Himalayan brown bear, blue sheep and other animals and birds.
Among others senior forest officers JS Walia, SS Negi and ARM Reddy were present on the occasion.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
A good development and let’s hope the site is regularly updated. There was, however, a disturbing comment by the new minister Mr Karan Singh, mentioning the need for “connectivity inside the park”. The GHNP is where it is today because there is no road inside the park. Any road going into the Park would be a disaster. While roads are necessary for people, fortunately there is negligible human population inside the Park. We have long experience of what roads do to forests and the last thing GHNP and its wildlife would want is a road invading their home. As far as visitor influx and Ecotourism is concerned, the essence of the GHNP experience is accept the Park as it is, on its own terms. Trekking in the GHNP is not for the weak-kneed and the fainthearted.