MP: Closure of Pench National Park due to COVID-19 affects many

Many people whose lives are interlinked with the Pench National Park, situated in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh, have been severely impacted.

The lockdown and subsequent shutdown of tourism and jeep safaris in the wildlife reserve have made it difficult for the drivers as well as for people who have shops and hotels nearby the wildlife park, to earn their lievlihood.

"Because of the closure of the park, many guides, gypsy drivers have lost their jobs. Many hotels have also been shut," said Ram Prasad Evnate, a tourist guide at the Pench National Park.

"Summers used to be our peak season. Thousands of people visit this park. We have not earned anything this year due to COVID-19. We have spent all our savings also," said Akshay Dhurve, a gypsy driver.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, all the National Parks, wildlife sanctuaries across the country have been shut.

The decision was taken to close all the spots of human-mal interaction as a large number of foreign tourists are a regular feature at such places.

( With inputs from ANI )