Oxygen Tourism

As air quality worsens in Indian cities, protected areas need to implement Oxygen Tourism to at least awaken our decision-makers to the benefits of nature conservation.

- Dr Asad R. Rahmani

One of the advantages of working in the field of wildlife is visits to rural areas, forests, grasslands, wetlands, mangrove, and mountains. More intrepid ones even go underwater. While people living in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Nagpur, etc. suffer from air and water pollution, wildlifers – most of them not computer geeks – enjoy clean fresh air and unpolluted stream water in remote areas.

In November 2017, when Delhi faced notorious smog, schools were shut, media was crying foul, politicians were giving empty promises, and discussions on allowing only odd-and-even numbered vehicles on alternate days was going on. At the same time, I was enjoying the luxury of fresh oxygen in Suheldeo – a lesser-known sanctuary in north India – with Ms. Niharika Singh and her father Anand Singh. While discussing the potential of Suheldeo Wildlife Sanctuary as a birding destination, Mr. Singh said, “It can even become an oxygen destination where people can breathe fresh and clean air.” I liked the term and told him that I’ll use it for my next article.

Hailing from the erstwhile feudal family of Mankapur in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district, Mr. Singh schooled from Colvin Taluqdars’ college in Lucknow and graduated from Naini Agricultural Institute in Allahabad. Thereafter, he entered politics and spent over four decades – both at the state where he served as the Cabinet Minister in-charge of Agriculture, and at the Centre as Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) for five terms. Both father and daughter are dedicated conservationists and trying to save their beloved Suheldeo Sanctuary.