Our Bureau/

Bihar government has come forward for the promotion of picturesque  Bhimbandh wild life sanctuary which once know for Maoists’ den.

State government will make the wild life sanctuary more attractive for the tourists while developing the hot springs there, chief minister Nitish Kumar instructed official concerned during his Vikash Yatra 2018 at Munger.

Works would soon be initiative by the forest and other department concerned at Bhimbandh, a popular tourist destination at Eastern Bihar.  Kumar who conducted brief review meeting of development aspects with official concerned of Munger division including districts magistrates and superintendents  of police of 6 districts under Munger division on January , instructed the forest department to complete the beautification drive at the hot spring, a popular tourist spot inside the dense Bhimbandh forest covers within next 6 months.

Party workers welcomed Nitish at Munger air strip.

Kumar asked to channelize the water streams from the hot spot at Bhimbandh and also to repair the big pond so that tourists could enjoy bathing. He also suggested the officials to control the temperature of the hot water coming out from the spring so that people easily take their baths there. Besides, the outlet of the pond should be utilized for irrigation purposes through cannels for the surrounding areas. “Basic facilities should be provided for the tourists. People from distant places came to visit the place mainly for the hot spring water,” he said in the meeting.

Earlier during his visit to Munger in May, 2017, Kumar arrived at Bhimbandh forest covers and was enchanted to witness its beauty. He instructed the officials at the time to boost tourism while taking initiatives for infrastructures there. It’s to be mentioned here that Bhimbandh once earned notoriety as it was converted by a safe red corridor by the Maoists who killed the than superintendent of police, Munger, K C Surendar Babu along with his 6 body guards in a powerful landmine explosion inside the forest cover on January 5, 2005. “The rebels managed a safe red corridor here as the hilly terrains of the areas connect Jamui and Lakhisarai with Munger easily.  The place which usually overcrowded by the tourists, left abundant mainly due to fear of Maoists. But after opening of the CRPF camp here on 2014, we managed to drive back the ultras from this forest areas. Now large number of tourists have started visiting the areas regularly,” pointed out a senior cop.

At the review meeting Nitish asked official concerned for the development of Bhimbandh.

Ashish Bharati, superintendent of police Munger said that police has started interaction with the denizens of the villages located inside the forest covers and use to provide them different daily use items. “Development at such villages still a distant dream and that’s why villagers of the areas earlier extended their support to the rebels. But to some extent police managed to gain their sympathy,” admitted a senior district official at Munger. The official however said that with the initiative by the state chief minister at Bhimbandh, the local inhabitants would be also beneficiaries when tourism will accelerated inside the forest cover.