6 days ago
Activists for probe into wildife safari in Kali Tiger Reserve
Conservation activists have expressed concern over tourism promotion through wildlife safari in Kali Tiger Reserve, and have sought a probe into the matter on the grounds that it was in violation of the comprehensive guidelines issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Hanamant, an activist and a law student from Koppal, has issued a notice under Section 55 C of the Wildlife Protection Act, and pointed out that NTCA has prohibited opening up of new areas for tourism and that too in an area which was not part of the tourism zone.
According to the complainant, the only approved activities in the ecotourism chapter of the Tiger Conservation Plan of KTR is trekking along specified routes and bird watching.
The complainant furnished videos in support of his allegation apart from drawing attention to the social media accounts of the KTR in which safari has been promoted. The official website of the KTR continues to promote the safari on its website till date.
Conservationists alleged that these activities, conducted without mandatory approvals from the National Tiger Conservation Authorit y (NTCA), endangered critical tiger habitats and violated multiple laws including the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
The complainant highlighted what he described as double standards in forest management and said that while villagers have been relocated from these areas under the pretext of creating inviolate spaces for tigers, the same locations have been opened to tourism.
Mr. Hanamant said, 'Forest dwellers who were living for decades are moving out of their homelands as most of the villages have been deprived of basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity, mobile network, schools or hospitals, etc., due to stringent laws of the Project Tiger.'
On the other hand, the core tiger habitat areas are being opened up for the pleasure of urban tourists, he added.
Calling for probe by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the complainant has expressed concerns that even the Karnataka Forest Department authorities have not acted despite submission of numerous complaints in the past. There are also concerns that the safari, which was started without mandatory approvals, may be regularised by including it under the Tiger Conservation Plan (TCP) for KTR, though it was not in the TCP for the period between 2014-2024.
