Daringbadi's Duluri Pine Forest Faces Neglect Amid Tourist Rush

Tourist Influx in Daringbadi

Hundreds of visitors flock to Daringbadi in the Kandhamal district daily, seeking a natural escape from the summer heat. Key attractions like Hill View Park, Nature Park, Coffee Garden, and various waterfalls have drawn large crowds, particularly families and students enjoying their summer break.

One notable site, the Duluri Pine Forest, celebrated for its picturesque scenery and picnic areas, is currently suffering from neglect. Although entry fees were collected during the winter tourism season from October to January, the forest's main gate has remained open since then, leading to unrestricted access and a rise in anti-social behavior. The area is now littered with empty liquor bottles, plastic waste, and other debris.

Previously, during the winter months, local authorities had assigned women from self-help groups (SHGs) to manage ticket sales and maintain the forest's cleanliness. These SHG members worked alongside the administration to oversee the main entrance, keep the area tidy, and ensure order, generating significant revenue while preserving the forest's natural beauty.

However, the unrestricted access has reportedly led to a considerable drop in revenue. For instance, Hill View Park alone earned approximately Rs 90,000 from ticket sales in May, while Duluri Pine Forest saw no income during the same timeframe. This decline has raised alarms among environmentalists and local stakeholders, especially given the substantial investments made in the forest's infrastructure.

The block administration had previously invested Rs 85 lakh in developing amenities within the Duluri Pine Forest, including a children's park, selfie point, community toilets, picnic kitchen platforms, tourist shelters, a main entrance gate, and cement benches. With the forest now unmonitored, there are growing concerns that these facilities may deteriorate and the area could attract anti-social elements.

Various organizations have called on the Kandhamal District Collector to transfer the maintenance of Duluri Pine Forest to the public-private trust currently overseeing Hill View Park.

In a statement, BDO Preetiranjan Rath noted that the block administration had received Rs 70,000 from Duluri Pine Forest operations during the winter months as part of a revenue-sharing agreement with the SHGs. He stressed that if ticketing had continued, the revenue would have been significantly higher.

District Collector Amrit Ruturaj, when contacted, confirmed that the management of the site would officially be handed over to the Saanjasaru Development Trust starting June 1. He mentioned that he had already discussed this transition with the BDO.

Despite the Collector's assurances, nearly a month has passed, and the Duluri Pine Forest remains in a state of neglect, prompting renewed calls for the immediate transfer of responsibility to the trust to avert further damage and revenue loss.