Brush with adventure at serene Chandaka in Bhubaneswar

BHUBANESWAR: Get ready for some adrenaline rush in the sylvan surroundings of Chandaka during summer break. Adventure-loving students would love it. The authorities of Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary, abutting the city, have mooted adventure sports in the lap of nature from March first week.
The sports include rock climbing, mountain rappelling, river crossing and net walking.Trained forest staff will guide the students. Each person will have to pay Rs 100 to avail the facility, official sources said.
Divisional forest officer (Chandaka) Manoj Mohapatra said experts from Indian Mountaineering Foundation had come to the sanctuary recently to train staff on adventure sports. "We procured the required equipment for the four sporting activities from Kolkata and Himachal Pradesh. The school and college principals can inform us a day before they plan to visit Chandaka," added Mohapatra.
An artificial elephant cave, created to help jumbos take rest, will be used for rock climbing and mountain rappelling. Jhumka water reservoir will facilitate river crossing and net walking. "A netted bridge has been made for the purpose," said a wildlife officer.
From March, battery-operated vehicles will start ferrying tourists from the main gate to the sanctuary area. A vehicle can carry six persons. "We will not allow the vehicles to enter core areas for animal sighting. The vehicle will go up to the periphery of buffer areas, where the tourists can enjoy nature's bounty," said the officer.
The sanctuary boasts of 23 natural water bodies of which Deras and Jhumka are spread over 10 acre. In November last year, the authorities suspended boating in sanctuary in view of rising drowning incidents elsewhere in state.