Supreme Court orders ban on tourism in core areas of tiger reserves

[Mrudul Godbole]

SC extends ban on tourism in core areas of tiger reserves
29 AUG, 2012, 03.20PM IST, PTI

NEW DELHI: Extending the ban on tourism activities in the core areas of tiger reserves, the Supreme Court today pulled up the Centre for the depleting population of the wild cats in the country.

A bench of justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar put some searching questions to the Centre as it made a fresh plea for the review of the apex court's July 24 order banning tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves.

"You are trying to make up. You have done it (guidelines) after due deliberation. We want to know on what basis you want to do it? What is the data available?

"What are you going to do to save tigers? Earlier it was 13,000, now it has come down to 1,200. You are more worried about the commercial activities," the bench told the Centre's counsel Waseem Ahmed Kadiri.

The apex court made the observation after the Centre made a mention of its affidavits filed in the court for permission to review its earlier guidelines for conservation of tiger.

The apex court earlier on July 24 had imposed an interim ban on tourism in core areas of tiger reserves on the basis of same guidelines. The ban extended today would remain in place at least till next hearing on August 29.

"What have you done for the tiger project? What about the core areas you have promised to take steps for? The Union of India has not done anything except filling affidavits. Why did you initially recommend the ban?," the court asked the counsel.

The apex court later while ordering that its interim ban order would continue posted the matter for further hearing to August 29.

The Centre had filed an affidavit seeking permission to review the existing guidelines for conservation of tigers in the wake of the apex court's order banning tourism in core areas of tiger reserves.

In its asffidavit, the Centre had also contended that the states have expressed concern that many local people depend on tourism for their livelihood and banning tourism in core areas of the tiger reserves would result in loss of such income leading to discontent which may be a threat to wildlife and forests.

The additional affidavit jointly filed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Environment and Forests said the earlier guidelines framed by it on the basis of which the apex court had imposed the interim ban needs to be reviewed.

"The guidelines submitted in the context of ecotourism in and around protected areas require further review based on more consultations with all stakeholders, including the state governments and the representatives of the local, indigenous communities," the Centre had said.

"The respondents may be permitted to further review the guidelines and conduct more consultations with all stakeholders including state governments and representatives of local indigenous communities, besides reviewing the process adopted by states in notifying the buffer areas of tiger reserves," the affidavit had said.

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

"EDITORIAL
THE STATESMAN KOLKATA THURSDAY 30 AUGUST 2012


THE JUDGMENT DAY
Rule of law reinforced

..........................The apex court on Wednesday refused to be hustled, and extended its interim ban on wildlife tourism in the core area of tiger parks. What will it take for the government to develop a comprehensive policy? Tigers disrupting Parliament?"


Note:
The editorial contained the viewpoints on a series of judgements delivered on the previous day. I have quoted the relevant portion relating to tiger.The paper has used the wording 'Judgment'.
The newspaper has reported that while extending ban on tourism in the core tiger reserve areas till 27 Sept, 2012, the Supreme Court indicated (on 29.08.2012) that it was not averse to regulated tourist activities, subject to the Centre evolving suitable revised guidelines to protect the depleting cat.
SaktiWild

[Mrudul Godbole]

Wildlife buffer zone: SC seeks govt response
Sat Sep 22 2012, 02:35 hrs

The Supreme Court on Friday sought a categorical stand of the Centre on a recommendation that there must be mandatory buffer (safety) zone of 2 km for country’s all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries having area of 200 square km or more.

Observing that the suggestion mooted was “justified” in the wake of the fact that the total dense forest cover in the country had been reduced to less than 2 per cent, a Forest Bench led by Justice Aftab Alam asked the government to convey its response on making 2-km safety zone mandatory for all parks and sanctuaries.

The suggestion was pitched by senior advocate Harish Salve, amicus curiae in a PIL on conservation of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Citing the report of the Central Empowered Committee, he told the court that the present guideline defines the buffer zone up to 2 km but it was necessary to make a uniform rule that no activity shall be allowed in a 20-km zone from the periphery of parks and sanctuaries.

“I would also request the court to pass an order to ensure there is no discretion with the central or the state governments to decide the limits of this zone on a case-to-case basis since such discretion usually frustrates the purpose. There must be a fiat that in a 2-km area, there cannot be any activity. The dense forest cover has already been reduced to 1.89%,” said Salve.

Expressing dismay at the revelation, the court remarked: “I thought that after our intervention (constituting the Forest Bench) the things have improved.”

The court will next hear the matter on November 2.