PM Modi will be on a two-day visit to Assam. (PTI File)
The prime minister will get to witness the Indian Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant, Wild Water Buffalo and Swamp Deer – collectively known as the ‘Big Five’ of Kaziranga
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Assam for a two-day visit during which he will stay at Kaziranga National Park, and inaugurate and lay the foundation of projects worth Rs 18,000 crore.
PM Modi will be the first prime minister to spend the night at the Assam Police Guest House at Kahra in Kaziranga. This comes after President Droupadi Murmu’s Kaziranga visit last year and former President Ram Nath Kovind in 2022.
On Thursday Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that PM Modi is the only prime minister who visited maximum times to Assam
PM Modi’s Kaziranga Visit: Arrangements in Place
All the arrangements are in place at Assam’s Kaziranga as NSGs and security personnel will be responsible for the security. On Saturday, the prime minister will undertake a jungle safari, with authorities making arrangements for both jeep and elephant safaris. He will be there for around two hours.
The Prime Minister will visit Kaziranga on Saturday and will enter the wild through the Kohora range.
The old furniture at the Gateway of Kohora Forest, Mihimukhas has been replaced with new furniture while the tourist track in the national park has been repaired and the Elephant Tower has been beautified with both elephant safari and jeep safari for the Prime Minister.
The BIG FIVE of Kaziranga
The prime minister will get to witness the Indian Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant, Wild Water Buffalo and Swamp Deer – collectively known as the ‘Big Five’ of Kaziranga.
Kaziranga National Park is home to about 3,000 rhinos, 1100 elephants, hundreds of tigers and the largest number of Asiatic wild buffaloes. Notably, the global population of Asiatic wild buffalo (Bubalus arnee) has been estimated at 3,400 individuals, of which 95% live in India and mostly in Assam.
With over 2,600 estimated numbers, the world’s single largest population resides in Kaziranga National Park which offers a perfect habitat for them. Kaziranga contains significant breeding populations of 35 mammalian species, of which 15 are threatened as per the IUCN Red List.
The park has the distinction of being home to the world’s largest population of the Indian rhinoceros, wild water buffalo and eastern swamp deer. Significant populations of large herbivores include Indian elephants, gaur and sambar. Recently GHARIYAL also found in Kaziranga.
Apart from these, the rare white Royal Bengal Tiger is another peculiarity of Kaziranga. Also, Kaziranga has been identified by Birdlife International as an Important Bird Area.
Significance of PM Modi’s Kaziranga Visit
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga is expected to take on a new dimension after the Prime Minister’s arrival. As mentioned, PM Modi will visit Kaziranga on March 9 at 5.30 am.
PM Modi’s Kaziranga visit is likely to garner significant media attention and would establish the wild park as a major tourist attraction. In this regard, the Prime Minister’s recent Laksswadeep visit can be cited.
“We are eagerly waiting for the Prime Minister’s visit. From various sides, our Kaziranga is very important. We hope PM Sir’s visit will make Kaziranga popular internationally,” a forest official said.
Both Elephant and Jeep safaris have been arranged for PM Modi’s Kaziranga visit. PM Modi will decide by which mode he will visit Kaziranga Wild.