Shillong, Sept 1: The issue of relocating the hoolock gibbon from Garo Hills to the Meghalaya Biological Park, Umtrew, Ri-Bhoi district earlier this year might have been settled, but the park is far from ready to be open for the public, missing completion deadlines.

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, after reviewing the work progress of the park last year, said it would be ready and opened for the public in August 2023.

One year down the line, the work on the park is far from completion. Although substantial work has been completed in terms of building enclosures for the animals, other infrastructure work is moving at a snail’s pace.

Officials informed that some animals have already been brought to the park, but since the other infrastructure isn’t ready, the animals are not being brought, especially from rescue centres such as Phan Nonglait Park (Lady Hydari Park) and other places.

Animals such as different species of deer, jackals, foxes, bears, cats, primates that include the hillock gibbon and macaques are slated to be brought into the park once completed.

But several infrastructural works like the ticketing centre, souvenir shops and especially the road inside the park, the parking lot are yet to be completed. The park is stretched over an area of 72 hectares and the cost of the project is Rs. 35 crore.

The opening of the park would boost the local economy of the area. “This might take another six months or so for the park to be completed,” an official said.

Meghalaya government hopes that once completed this park would attract more tourists into the state, with its pristine landscape and is rich in flora and fauna.

The state’s Protected Area Network (PAN) is 1133.9 Sq Km area and covers roughly 5.06 percent of the total geographical area.

Under PAN, there are two national parks (Balpakram and Nokrek Ridge), four wildlife sanctuaries Nongkhyllem, Siju, Narpuh and Baghmara) and one biosphere reserve (Nokrek Biosphere).

Also Read: Meghalaya’s public sector enterprises rack up Rs. 572 crore loss in 2022-2023

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