CHAHALA

India / Orissa / Rairangpur / Similipal
 nature conservation park / area  Add category

Chahala is a wild life sighting place inside Similipal national park,generaly deer, peacock,elephant and sambar are seen.Chahala, which is located on the border of the core area of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district, is still struggling to get back on its feet after a Maoist attack in 2009.

The forest personnel live in fear in the dense forest, where solar light is the only means to light up their offices and barracks.

Being close to the core area of STR, animal sightings are more common in Chahala. Elephants too are seen more here. But tourists are afraid of going there because of the 2009 incident. Maoists blasted a beat house, a tower and a forest rest house there that year. The rebels asked tourists, who were staying in the rest house, and the staff, to come out of the house and then used detonators to blow up the structures.

With the ruins still visible, tourists are afraid to go there. Four forest personnel, including a senior ranger-rank officer, are in charge of guarding the place. Recently, they have been supplemented by 10 protection assistants, who have been appointed on a contractual basis.

"After sunset, we keep a vigil on suspicious movements. We stay in touch with our higher officers through the wireless. Tourists are asked to return from Chahala before 6 pm. Since animals come down from the forest to Chahala in the evening for water, tourists wait there to see them. However, we have been instructed to vacate the area before evening," said forest guard Satya
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Coordinates:   21°59'8"N   86°17'36"E
This article was last modified 9 years ago