The art-themed biota interpretation centre of the Forest Department will shortly be opened for children.
Though it was formally inaugurated in October last, it largely remained out of bounds for visitors due to the pandemic.
Billed as the country’s first art-based interpretation centre of its kind, the Forest Department facility adjacent to the deer park replicates the characteristics of the Oussudu Lake’s ecosystem and showcases avifauna through a mix of artistic landscaping, three-dimensional modelling, paintings and stone sculptures. The plan is to open the place to schoolchildren in a regulated manner and in compliance with COVID-19 protocols, especially as visits are quite likely to turn into family outings with schools continuing to remain closed.
“We propose to restrict visitors to about 30 in an hour by splitting them into two batches,” said Vanjulavalli Karthik, Deputy Conservator of Forests.
The place offers a study tour of the region’s exciting floral and faunal diversity. The stone sculpture at the entry point captures all the four State symbols of Puducherry — the Asian Koel, the Indian Palm Squirrel, the Cannon Ball Flower and the Vilva Tree. Apart from single stone carvings of the Indian chameleon, Russel viper and fan-throated lizard or the fibre sculpture of the greater flamingo to herald visitors, the landscaping features paintings on Kadappa stone (black limestone) highlighting species such as the brahminy kite, painted stork, purple swamphen and the pheasant tailed jacana.
A highlight is the special gel replica of the Oussudu Lake, which has been documented as one of the important wetlands of Asia by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
The centre has come up at an estimated cost of about ₹1 crore that includes a Central grant of ₹86 lakh under the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco System.
