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New Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
NTCA seeks reply from Forest department on tourism projects in Satkosia TR
BHUBANESWAR: The state government's move to set up tourism establishments in Satkosia has come under National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) scanner with the apex tiger conservation body seeking a response from the Forest department over alleged violation of eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) norms to allow projects in the tiger reserve. Sources said, the NTCA has sought a clarification from the Forest department on the basis of a petition filed by the 'Satkosia Abhayaranya O Praja Suraksha Samiti'. The field director of Satkosia tiger reserve has been instructed to submit the response to the PCCF (wildlife)-cum-chief wildlife warden for moving it to the NTCA. The petition was filed citing The New Indian Express' reports on how two critical points of Satkosia - Athamallik NAC segment and Baliput-Orasingha segment - have been left with zero eco-sensitive zone in the draft ESZ plan of the reserve, leaving the tiger habitat vulnerable to unrestrained development activities on its immediate boundary. It had also published a report on the Forest department's direction to its Tourism counterpart to rework the Rs 174 crore development plan of Satkosia under SACCI in which the latter had proposed tourist facilities in three zones - Pampasar-Tikarpada hub, Baliput-Badmul hub and Kusanga-Sitalpani hub - of the tiger reserve.
The Print
4 days ago
- General
- The Print
Nauradehi to be cheetahs' new home in MP. It's preparing by expanding prey base, relocating villages
The expanse of Nauradehi is located on a plateau spread across Sagar and Damoh districts in the Bundelkhand region. While it has a deciduous forest with sal, teak, mahua, bamboo and bel trees in abundance, there are also extensive continuous grasslands, which act as grazing lands for herbivores, with a substantial prey base, including four different categories of antelopes, wild bores and black bucks. A senior official from Madhya Pradesh's forest department told ThePrint, 'The team of National Tiger Conservation Authority gave a go-ahead to prepare the sanctuary to receive cheetahs.' Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government has begun work to develop the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary as the third home for cheetahs in the state, after Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. A team of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) inspected the sanctuary in May, and earmarked a 30 km area spread across three ranges of Mohli, Jhapa and Singpur to be prepared to house cheetahs. The forest department is also working to further augment this prey base with the translocation of cheetals or spotted deer from Pench and Kanha Tiger Reserves. In 2010, Nauradehi was one of the priority sites considered for the reintroduction of cheetahs, but was later dropped, owing to the large number of villages that were yet to be relocated from within the sanctuary. According to senior wildlife officials, there were a total of 93 villages at its core, of which 44 have been shifted outside, while 49 still remain within the sanctuary. The forest department is currently undertaking the relocation of three more villages, while seven others, including Mohli village—one of the largest ones—will be taken up for relocation later this year. The three ranges of Mohli, Jhapa and Singpur earmarked by the inspection team, comprising Vaibhav Mathur, deputy inspector general of forests at NTCA, have a total of 13 villages, which will be taken up for relocation. The 30 km area will also be fenced to reduce biotic pressure. The divisional forest team has also sought an additional funding of Rs 150 crore for the relocation of these 13 villages. Nauradehi will also be equipped with veterinary doctors, filling up the vacant positions in the sanctuary. After going extinct in India in 1952, cheetahs were brought back to the country in September 2022, when eight of them were flown in from Namibia to the Kuno National Park in the state's Sheopur district. Another batch of 12 was flown in from South Africa in February 2023. These were also housed at Kuno, taking the total number of cheetahs in India to 20. However, the Narendra Modi government's Project Cheetah suffered a major setback the following monsoon, when several of them suffered infections, causing the death of eight males, bringing down the total number of adult cheetahs to 12. Over the past two years, a total of 26 cubs were born to these cheetahs, but only 19 survived. With the 12 adults and 19 cubs, the total number of cheetahs in India currently stands at 31. In April this year, two adult male cheetahs, Pawan and Prabhas, who were among the 12 cheetahs brought in from South Africa, were relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary that has been developed as the second home for the big cats in the country. The aim of developing more homes is to create a metapopulation of cheetahs at different locations in the country. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: Mr India, Machli, Maya—Why India's tiger reserves keep breaking the no-naming rule
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
Jharkhand to set up its first tiger safari: The plan and concerns around it
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. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read More
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
SC reserves order on expert panel suggestions for improving tiger sanctuaries
The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved orders on a wide-ranging spectrum of recommendations suggested by an expert committee for improving management of tiger reserves across India. The court expressed reservation on accepting one proposal on phasing out night stay facilities for tourists in core area of tiger reserves. The committee's report submitted to the court on May 22 came on an order passed by SC in March 2024 while hearing the case pertaining to Pakhru tiger safari at Jim Corbett tiger reserve in Uttarakhand. While seeing a regulatory mechanism for tiger safari, the court had in its order required the Centre to form a committee of experts and make recommendations on measures that are required to be taken for effective management and protection of tiger reserves which shall be applicable on a Pan India basis. Also Read: Ban night tourism, limit safaris: SC panel on tiger reserve mgmt The committee suggestions included promoting eco-tourism in tiger reserves, securing tiger habitat, improving service conditions of forest staff, strengthening wildlife crime detection and trial, and better management of man-animal conflicts among other related aspects. The committee comprised of Chandra Prakash Goyal, Member CEC, Vaibhav C. Mathur, Deputy Inspector General of Forests, NTCA, Qamar Qureshi, Scientist G, WII, Dehradun, and R. Raghu Prasad, Inspector General of Forests, Wildlife as Member Secretary. It referred to an elaborate set of guidelines prepared by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in 2012 that received the imprimatur of the Supreme Court in Ajay Dubey v NTCA, decided in October 2012. The guidelines proposed phasing out of night stay facility for tourists inside the core area of tiger reserves. The committee said, 'Night stay facilities for tourists in core areas must be completely phased out within the next six months as more than a decade has already elapsed since this was recommended in the NTCA guidelines. In order not to disrupt the circadian rhythm of wildlife, a complete ban on night tourism must be implemented in tiger reserves.' The bench, also comprising Justice AG Masih, said, 'This facility in a way helps in getting people to come closer to nature. It helps in growing awareness and love for nature and wildlife among citizens.' Senior advocate K Parmeshwar assisting the court as amicus curiae pointed out that so long as the lodges and government bungalows are allowed to operate, the core area cannot remain inviolable.' The bench said, 'Even if people stay there, nobody is allowed to move out after a specific time, including VVIPs, except forest officers.' It further reasoned that by letting out such facilities to tourists, the money earned in this manner can be utilised towards conservation of wildlife. The Centre represented by additional solicitor general (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati informed the court that the ministry of environment forests and climate change (MoEFCC) have no objections to any of the recommendations made by the committee and are willing to accept the same. Parmeshwar highlighted other areas of concern from the report which failed to address the issue of preparation of a Tiger Conservation Plan (TCP) as per Section 38V of the Wildlife Protection Act. He said, 'Out of 58 tiger reserves in the country, only 23 have it. It is absolutely necessary to have TCP. This is happening despite the 2012 Ajay Dubey judgment.' The bench asked the amicus to submit a note of suggestions and said, 'We will fix an outer limit for coming out with TCP, maybe in six months or one year.'
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Ban night tourism, limit safaris: SC panel on tiger reserve mgmt
New Delhi An expert committee tasked by the Supreme Court to recommend steps for better management of tiger reserves in the country has proposed a complete ban on night tourism, recommended that the core and buffer zone be declared silent zones, and suggested providing arms and legal protection to forest officials, as part of a comprehensive overhaul in the management of these protected areas. The report of the four-member committee, having experts drawn from National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the MOEFCC was submitted to the court last week. The committee also dealt with the issue of tiger safaris and said that remedying the illegal construction and felling of trees for the Pakhro tiger safari at Jim Corbett National Park would involve a restoration cost of nearly ₹30 crore. HT has reviewed a copy of the report. The court on March 6, 2024 took serious note of the destruction caused to the environment due to the Pakhro safari, passing simultaneous directions to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to identify the officers responsible and asking the Union government to form a committee to propose the cost to be paid by the guilty officers, besides suggesting long term reforms for strengthening the ecosystem in tiger reserves. The Supreme Court had banned the tiger safari after it was found that the Uttarakhand forest department had felled trees in the Pakhro range for constructing a tiger rescue centre, which was to also function as a safari for vehicles and pedestrian movement, without seeking mandatory environment ministry's approval. The court had also said that the proposed safari was in violation of Guidelines for Safari Parks. Proposing that such tiger safaris only be established on 'non-forest land' or a 'degraded forest land in buffer zone that is not part of a tiger corridor' , the experts went by the court's suggestion to adopt an approach of 'ecocentrism' and not of 'anthropocentrism' (human-centric) and said: 'In order not to disrupt the circadian rhythm of wildlife, a complete ban on night tourism must be implemented in tiger reserves.' The committee's members are Chandra Prakash Goyal, Member CEC, Vaibhav C. Mathur, Deputy Inspector General of Forests, NTCA, Qamar Qureshi, Scientist G, WII, Dehradun, and R. Raghu Prasad, Inspector General of Forests, Wildlife as Member Secretary. The committee further proposed the entire area of tiger reserve and the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of protected areas that are part of it to be notified as 'silent zones' under Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. In addition, it proposed that NTCA guidelines that recommended phasing out of night stay facilities for tourists in core areas of the reserve be enforced strictly and implemented in six months. It also proposed a ban on the use of mobile phones within tourism zones of the core habitat of tiger reserves. Dealing with the Pakhro tiger safari, the committee estimated the potential ecological loss due to safari project to be about Rs.29.8 crores. The amount , collected (from the guilty officials) should be put in a separate account to be maintained by Field Director, Corbett Tiger Reserve who will ensure activities for the upkeep of the tiger safari. The top court in March last year had allowed the safari to continue on the condition that only injured, rescued or orphaned cubs in the wild are to be kept there while rejecting the proposal to introduce zoo animals sourced from outside. The committee supported the court's judgment . The committee also focused on people it called 'invisible green soldiers' or forest personnel who guard the forests, protect wildlife, and face life-threatening situations from the timber mafia and poachers. 'Ensuring their welfare is crucial for protecting the environment and sustaining ecological balance,' the committee said in its report. It added that this required states to ensure vacancies in all levels in tiger reserves are filled up on priority, with a separate cadre for veterinarians and wildlife biologists, along with one for sociologists to engage with the fringe communities on an ongoing basis, that will help build a 'social fence' in protection of forests. Noting serious gaps in the absence of legal protection to forest staff against organised criminal elements, the report said, 'At least 75% of such staff shall be provided with arms within a period of five years. States may also raise special forest battalions to be deployed in Tiger Reserves under the operational command of forest officers, as done in some states.' It suggested that provisions of Section 218 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 (that requires prior sanction to prosecute government servants) be applied to all forest officers and in the unfortunate event of death in the line of duty, 'ex-gratia on par with paramilitary forces should be provided.' A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai is expected to consider the report with its suggestions later this week. The court's March 2024 order came on a petition filed by environment activist and lawyer Gaurav Kumar Bansal . The Pakhro project measuring 106 hectares was approved by NTCA in 2015, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in 2019 and forest clearances from the Union environment ministry in October 2020 and September 2021.
