Jharkhand to set up its first tiger safari: The plan and concerns around it

Indian Express

5 days ago

The Jharkhand government plans to establish the state's first tiger safari in the fringe area of the Barwadih Western Forest Range in Latehar district, which falls under the Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR).
The government believes that the project will help boost tourism in the state, and serve as a conservation and education centre for wildlife, offering experiential learning and nature-based recreation.
However, experts have raised numerous concerns about the project, including the potential displacement of local communities.
Tiger safari is not defined under The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 which says 'no construction of commercial tourist lodges, hotels, zoos and safari parks shall be undertaken inside a sanctuary except with the prior approval of the National Board' [for Wild Life] constituted under the Act.
The concept was first envisaged in the Guidelines for Tourism issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in 2012, which provided for such establishments in the buffer areas of tiger reserves 'which experience immense tourist influx in the core/ critical tiger habitat for viewing tigers'.
The idea was to build an enclosure within tiger reserves where animal sightings are not left to chance, unlike in the case of traditional wild safaris that are undertaken, for example, in the Jim Corbett National Park. This would be done by housing animals in large naturalistic enclosures within a tiger reserve.
In 2016, the NTCA issued guidelines for establishing tiger safaris in the buffer and fringe areas of tiger reserves for rescued, conflict-prone, or orphaned tigers with the clear restriction that no zoo-bred animals would be introduced.
Three years later, however, the NTCA made an amendment that allowed tigers from zoos to be housed in safari parks. The authority to identify and approve such zoo animals was delegated to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), which also became responsible for overseeing animal welfare, enclosure design, and compliance with zoo standards in safari projects.
In March 2024, the Supreme Court directed that tiger safaris should be established outside the core and buffer areas of tiger reserves. It said that such initiatives should not disturb natural habitats or compromise conservation goals.
Keeping in line with the apex court's directive, the Jharkhand government plans to create the safari in the fringe area of the Barwadih Western Forest Range, beyond the protected core and buffer zones of PTR. The safari will be set up in around 150 hectares of forest land.
The project will not feature any wild animals — it will house only conflict, injured, or orphaned animals rescued from tiger reserves and zoos across India.
The Jharkhand government believes that the safari would not only increase tourism but also generate direct jobs for at least 200 locals in the tourism sector. People would be required for the roles of guides, support staff, and maintenance crews.
Currently, the project is in the ideation stage. Once the state Forest Department gives the go-ahead, the Deputy Director of PTR will prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and send it to the NTCA and CZA.
The CZA will evaluate the proposed area and the selection of species. The entire approval and clearance process could take up to five to six months, followed by a construction period of around 18 months.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Madhe Gowda, a Soliga tribal leader and conservationist based at Karnataka's BRT Tiger Reserve, says that although tiger safaris attract tourists, they tend to erase the presence and contributions of forest-dwelling communities, portraying them as a threat rather than stewards of biodiversity. As a result, such initiatives often lead to the displacement of local tribal communities.
Speaking on the concerns pertaining to displacement of people, state officials have clarified that the project site falls under forest administration and no relocation or displacement is expected.
Tiger safaris also threaten the disruption of local economies. The projects restrict livestock grazing and collection of forest produce, which severely impacts the livelihoods of Adivasis.
George Monippally, a senior activist and member of Van Adhikar Manch (VAM) in Latehar, tells The Indian Express that before establishing the tiger safari the Jharkhand government should ensure that the project has the consent of local communities.
'If this tiger safari is planned on forest land, the Forest Department must consult the Gram Sabha and allow them to deliberate on all details — location, impact, and plan. Otherwise, it's a clear breach of law,' he said.
Shubham Tigga hails from Chhattisgarh and studied journalism at the Asian College of Journalism. He previously reported in Chhattisgarh on Indigenous issues and is deeply interested in covering socio-political, human rights, and environmental issues in mainland and NE India.
Presently based in Pune, he reports on civil aviation, other transport sectors, urban mobility, the gig economy, commercial matters, and workers' unions.
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