Bengal govt to reopen forests for tourists from September 23

West Bengal government has decided to open forests in the state on September 23. Forest Department officials said that the decision was taken as prolonged closure of forests in Bengal due to the Covid-19 pandemic had badly hit the tourism industry in the state.

They also said that forests are kept closed in the state every year from July 15 to September 15 because of the monsoon. “But due to the pandemic the forests have been closed for tourists ever since the nationwide lockdown started in March,” a senior Forest Department official said.

The decision to reopen the forests to tourists ahead of the festive season in the state has been taken as a means for reviving the tourism industry which is reeling under the impact of the pandemic.

“The decision was taken on Wednesday at a meeting chaired by Forest Minister Rajib Banerjee,” said the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Ravikant Sinha.

He also said that the social distancing guidelines and other health protocols for tourists on Friday.

The development comes days after Banerjee said that the Forest Department had started on chalking out the health protocols for tourists to reopen the forests before the festive season.