Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday appealed to all to treat tourists coming to Kaziranga National Park as guests of the state.

Sonowal opened the park for the tourists on Saturday by breaking a coconut. The park had been closed since April 30.

The chief minister expressed confidence that the number of tourists would increase this year. He also directed the park authority to keep strict vigil so that no one uses plastic inside the park. This is the first time that single-use plastic has been banned inside the park.

Earlier, the chief minister attended two functions, one at Bagori range, and the other at Mihimukh in Kohora range.

However, owing to inclement weather and poor road condition, jeep safari will be permitted only in a few select spots at Kohora and Bagori ranges for now.

Jeep safari will be allowed till Vaishamari in Kohora and upto Donga watchtower and Bimoli Tiniali in Bagori.

The start of jeep safari in the other ranges — Agoratali, Burapahar and Ghorakati — as well as elephant rides, will be notified later.

State forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya, agriculture minister Atul Bora, water resources minister Keshab Mahanta and Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, among others, were present.