Kolkata: Alipurduar, the Terai and Dooars will be turned into a “world tourist destination” within a year, CM Suvendu Adhikari said, and announced a slew of measures for wildlife conservation, tourism development and the transformation of the region’s tea belt.The CM’s announcement came on World Rhino Day. He inaugurated an exhibition on rhino conservation at Alipurduar’s Nilpara. Around 2,000 students from different schools attended the exhibition.Appealing for greater public participation in wildlife conservation, the CM said, “Today, let us all pledge together that we will protect nature, wildlife and our natural resources. Along with saving wildlife from poachers, we will ensure they have enough food and are healthy.”Adhikari said he would again come to Alipurduar on Oct 2 to attend a special programme for the release of tigers at Buxa Tiger Reserve and again for the inauguration of Alipurduar district court.Taking a dig at the previous govt’s policy, the CM said tea garden workers had earlier been treated as tenants. He said his govt would fulfil its promise of providing ownership rights over surplus land to permanent residents of tea gardens.He also directed the Alipurduar district administration to initiate work for construction of 1,200 new houses in Totopara at the earliest.Setting fire to three pyres loaded with 105 rhino horns and other wildlife body parts seized by the forest department, the CM said his govt will not tolerate any wildlife crime.
