Nature lovers who long for savouring the warmth of congenial wetland spots in Bhitarkanika in Odisha's Kendrapara district would now have to take care of their purse. Visiting the mangrove-infested sites with a shoe-string budget has now become a thing of past. As Bhitarkanika National Park reopened for visitors on Thursday, 1st August 2013, authorities have effected a steep hike in boarding and lodging for tourists. The rise is manifold and likely to pinch the middle class and lower middle class visitors. Forest officials said that "For factors beyond our control, the hike was made for better maintenance of government-owned bungalows in Bhitarkanika. The park remained out of bound for tourists and visitors from May 31 till yesterday in view of nesting season of estuarine crocodile."...
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A male elephant named Gabbar, who worked in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam in north-east India, ferrying tourists, died today following a prolonged illness, Park officials said. The 50-year old elephant, named after the villain 'Gabbar Singh' of mid seventies Bollywood film 'Sholay', was injured following a fight with a buffalo in the Park in December last. 'Sholay' is still considered among the most popular films in the Indian film Industry. The elephant was treated by Park veterinarians for the last seven months but it died this morning in the Bagori range. Gabbar carried tourists on its back for more than twenty years and later as he aged, the elephant was used to carry rations to the different camps in the Park....
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