Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudeva of Isha Foundation formally opened the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) for tourists for the forthcoming season on Saturday.
Elephant safari and jeep safari in the park were closed in May due to the monsoon.
Sadhguru and the chief minister, accompanied by Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, also undertook a jeep safari at the park.
Sadhguru drove the vehicle with Sarma sitting beside him.
"Your chief minister is safe with me in the vehicle. It is a matter of great joy to open the park for tourists," he told reporters.
The chief minister and Sadhguru also unveiled three statues of rhinoceros at the Mihimukh area of the park. These statues have been created using the ashes from burning seized rhino horns on September 22, 2021.
The state had created history when a stockpile of 2,479 rhino horns was consigned to flames to send a strong message to poachers.
"The rhino statues thus created is an attempt to immortalize the efforts and dedication of those who selflessly protect Assam's pride, the great one horned-rhinoceros," Sarma said.
Sadhguru urged people to come to Assam to enjoy its wildlife.
The chief minister on behalf of the state government and Sadhguru, representing the Isha Foundation, also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sustainable use of soil for agricultural practices.
Earlier, addressing a 'Chintan shivir' of ministers, legislators, and top officials, Sadhguru underscored the potential of eco-tourism in the Northeast for the development of the region.
If private parties with competence in this sector are roped in, accelerated development can be achieved within a short span of time, he said.
"Tourism is one of the easiest industries to develop and also the most eco-friendly one. It engages a lot of people without ripping the land apart," he noted.
He cited the examples of African nations that have monetized their natural tourism potential without spoiling the environment.
(Inputs from PTI)
