Monkey scare at Rohtak’s Tilyar lake

Sunit Dhawan

The Tilyar tourist complex located on the outskirts of Rohtak town comprises a vast lake with boating facility, a walking track around the lake amidst shady trees and other vegetation, lush green lawns, a mini-zoo, a motel comprising a bar, a restaurant and rooms offering a comfortable stay to the visitors and a light and sound show in the evening.

However, all aforesaid tourist attractions notwithstanding, lack of cleanliness and proper maintenance and poor upkeep, coupled with the presence of monkeys around the lake disappoint and put off local residents as well as tourists. 

“I along with my wife often come for a stroll around the lake. But there are a number of monkeys around the lake and they tend to attack us. Others who come for morning and evening walk at the lake are also put off by the presence of monkeys there,” says Dr Ishwar Singh, a leading orthopaedic surgeon of Rohtak.

Several other local residents and visitors complain that besides monkeys, the lack of cleanliness, poor upkeep and maintenance of the lake is off-putting. Residents feel that the lake, if maintained properly, can attract a big number of tourists. “A bridge built across the lake is in a poor shape. However, instead of getting it repaired, it has been closed for visitors,” says Shalini, who has come to the lake with her friends for an outing.

The previous state government led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda had mooted a proposal to beautify and develop the Tilyar lake on the pattern of Sentosa island in Singapore, which is Asia’s leading leisure destination. The current BJP government in Haryana had also announced to develop the lake as a fun-filled tourist destination, but a visit to the place reveals that it is still in a state of neglect.

Jaipal Shekhawat, ADM (Haryana Tourism) in-charge of Tilyar Tourist Complex, says that they have written to the  local Municipal Corporation officials to get monkeys caught and taken away from the complex, but to no avail.

Regarding the lack of maintenance and general cleanliness, he says that the lake is cleaned regularly, but some visitors throw empty bottles, cans and wrappers of food material into it. The maintenance of the civil infrastructure at the complex will be taken care of, he adds.

Tourists throw empty bottles into lake

}We have written to Municipal Corporation officials to get monkeys caught and taken away from the complex, but to no avail. The lake is cleaned regularly, but some visitors throw empty bottles, cans and wrappers of food material into it. The maintenance of the civil infrastructure at the complex will be taken care of.— Jaipal Shekhawat, in-charge of Tilyar Tourist Complex