UCM for upgrade of Mt Manipur Park to global standard
Source: Chronicle News Service / Sagolsem Bigyan

Port Blair, July 09 2022: United Committee Manipur (UCM) has urged the state government to develop Mt Manipur National Park in Andaman and Nicobar Islands to international standard in order to promote Manipur among the visitors.

UCM president Joychandra Konthoujam, who is in the UT as part of a touring UCM delegation, said that apart from renaming the national park, the government needs to install monuments and displays to provide relevant information on the history and martyrs of the state to visitors coming to the national park.

Stressing the need for construction of a guest house to provide accommodation to visitors from the state, Joychandra said that the UT government's land allotment committee in its meeting held on June 27, 2019 had approved allotment of a 2000-square metre plot adjacent to Goodwill Estate.

The UCM team found out that the state government can acquire the plot on lease for 90 years.

The state government should accept the offer and build the guesthouse there.

However, it would be better if the government could build the guesthouse near the national park and UCM believes that the state government could convince the Centre and UT government for the same.

He further said that the UCM team has also learnt about submission of documents related with British prisoners in the Cellular Jail from Manipur and other Indian states to the Centre.

The state government should seek the relevant information from the Centre so as to keep a clear account of the Manipuri martyrs who spent time in the jail.

On the other hand, the UCM team had an interaction with Lok Sabha MP from the UT Kuldeep Rai Sharma regarding the development of the national park.

During the meeting, the MP invited Manipuris to visit the national park and pay tributes to the Manipuri freedom fighters.

He also assured of his assistance in any development projects taken up in the national park.

The national park, which has an area of 46.62 square kilometre, is located within the range of 11'42'5" N & 11'51'45" N latitudes and 92'43'41" E & 92'48'13" E longitudes With an altitude of 459 metre from the mean sea level.

It is a dense and semi evergreen forest with various flora and fauna.

There are 393 species of plants in the national park which include 74 endemic and 51 introduced species.

Ceropygie andamanica and Drypetes Ellis are the two new species of plants that have been recently discovered in the park.

It is home to 90 species of birds, out of which 11 are endemic.

At the same time, 27 species of reptiles and amphibians including 12 endemic species are found here.

CThe important reptiles in the park are King Cobra, Andaman Cobra, two nesting marine turtles-green seas, and Olive Ridley .

One can see around 12 species of mammals in the park such as endemic Andaman Pig, bats, and Shrew.

It also home of 120 species of moths including many new species.

Many people visit here to see the animals like saltwater crocodiles, robber crabs, turtles, and wild pigs.

The park has forest rest house, Nicobaro Hut and several viewpoints.

Swaraj Dweep, Sir Hugh Ross and Netaji Subhaschandra Bose islands could be viewed from these viewpoints.

There are many old structures constructed during British rule by convicts of Panel Settlement using local stone and surkhi mortar like Gunman-cum-Security camp.

Mount Harriet got the name from the name of Robert Christopher Tytler's wife.

Tytler, who was a soldier in the British forces, and was appointed as officiating Superintendent of the Convict Settlement in Port Blair region from 1862 to 1864 .

The capital city of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair enjoys direct flight connectivity with Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.

From Port Blair, one can reach Mount Manipur National Park by road or by sea.

The park is almost 2-hour drive from Port Blair via Ferrargunj.

Sea route is much faster as one can board a ferry at Chatham jetty in Port Blair up to Bambooflat jetty in 15 minutes from where the drive to the national park is just 20 minutes.

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