Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Eco-Park - My Love, Pride of Bangladesh


I like such kind of Eco-Park where flora and fauna are available. Shitakundu Eco-Park of Bangladesh, which is the first eco-park of the country. The term eco means mixing and the park is the place where living and non-living elements live together without any kind of disturbance to each other. Peoples have been living since long within the surrounding of the park. Also birds, animals, insects have been living together in the same forest areas. Visitors are visiting park by daylong program. They are watching natural view of the park. If any one comes to the park for the first time, then second time he or she will think to come again and again. In the winter season, number of visitors increases compare with other seasons. This eco-park is not only for watching natural view but also helpful for conducting any kind of research work on it. Those who are willingly interested to do research on eco-park and nature, then with the official pre-permission he or she can conduct any kind of research relevant with the subject. During the whole years, visitors, researchers, study tour groups from various institutions (school up to university) from different corner of the country, even from foreign countries researchers come for doing their research work. I have been associated with Eco-Park management since last 4 years. Before coming park management, I had no idea, on it. But after sharing experience on eco-park, I love it very much. Frequently I visit Eco-park for the management purpose. Location of this eco-park is 35 km away from Chittagong. It is situated in the northern side of Dhaka-Chittagong highway. Main office management of this Eco-Park is in Chittagong town, forest hill, Nanadonkanon, Bangladesh and field office is in the Shitakudu park area. Two 1st one Officers, Two 2nd class Officers and 39 supporting stuffs in different categories are involved with entire eco-park management activities. Activities are allocated in two major heads. One is the Capital head and another is development head. Those who are working in the capital head, they so called normal stuffs. They have the retirement facilities. On the other hand, development stuffs do not have any retirement facilities. They do works on fixed term basis for the particular project period. Normal stuffs do works on project on deputation. In case of development projects, there is a project proforma (PP) where project activities are assigned. There is a particular project period, in which activities should be done. After establishing this park, 2 phases of development projects had been implemented. 1st phase project is already done, 2nd phase project has been running and going to be finished within the short. After that 3rd phase project will come for the betterment and also beautification of this park. Up to 2nd phase, there has been done some infrastructure development like FG barrack, administrative building, rest house, Quarters for range officers and foresters, display or exhibition map, picnic corner, public toilets, signboard, sign pillars, benches for taking rest and view the natural beauty, Observation tour, Check dam, Cactus house, Orchid house, green house etc. For electrification there made electric wearing in the whole park for security purpose and also water supply for drinking water and for other uses. There has been planted different kinds of plantation species in different corner of the hill, one nursery and one rose garden is available, which are very lucrative to look. Some ornamental plantation is done in the roadside and also in the front side of the park. Seasonal flowering bears beauty to the park. In the main gate, there is a provision of contractor/igaradar who enroll the park on year basis through open tender methods. There is a ticketing system for entering the park and this is only for visitors.
Any institution that wants to visit the park, they need to prayer for booking the place. At least 7 days before, application should come to the Director office in the address of forest hill, nandonkanon, chittagong through either mail or physical movement. After approval of Director one copy of that will come to field office. Then field offices will executive that. In the 3rd phase, I made projection on it roughly on the basis of of my past experiences on it. There should be made at least four observation towers for the security of this park. For patrolling the park area, there needs whole boundary wall. Partial boundary wall is made through the support of 1st and 2nd phase project, which is located, in front side of the park. In the lower slope of the park, there is big channel or khal, which is over flowed with water during the rainy season, but in the dry season, water goes out from that channel or khal. It needs to dragging. If we can store water in the whole years, then visitors can ride boat in the channel or khal and they can watch the nature from very near. There should be made a provision of engine boats, which are used for recreation or tour. Bangladesh Govt. will earn more revenue from it. In the long run, the park will be very popular to the visitors, in the world, who love nature, who love natural creation and also god.

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