Crocodile park near Bilaspur is a huge draw for people

BILASPUR: Kotmi Sonar, a dusty village in Janjgir Champa district, is blessed with a number of ponds like so many in Chhattisgarh. What makes this village special is its crocodile park, spread over 120 acres of land, of which 85 acres is water area. About 40km from Bilaspur, the pond has over 200 fully grown crocodiles and unaccounted number of smaller ones.
The pond is also home to a large number of migratory birds. In the year 2008, the park was landscaped and beautified and its periphery was covered with high channel link fencing and a walkway all along to make it safe for visiting people.
Besides, a beautiful garden has been developed with a spacious canteen.
According to locals, the village earlier had 35 ponds, of which some have dried up and now there are about 22 left. The crocodiles were earlier found in all the ponds of the villages and there were cases when some of these reptiles had strayed into the village as well. Surprisingly, no untoward incident has taken place in the village despite the risk of straying crocodiles.
Later, when the district administration decided to develop the park, all crocodiles from the ponds were caught over a period of time and left into the main pond which has been developed into the crocodile park. The villagers were paid for their services so rendered. The village ponds still have smaller crocodiles, which are caught regularly and left into the main pond.
The place has become a popular tourist attraction and a favourite picnic spot for people from nearby areas.