SC Verdict On Lifting Ban Likely To Attract More Tiger Tourists During Festive Season

Jaipur: It could not have been better than this. With festive season around, it was a gift of sorts for many a tourist in the state as the Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted the ban on tiger tourism in reserves across the country. The court has now allowed tourism in 20% of the core area of tiger reserves.

Rajasthan was the worst hit after the ban was imposed on tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves. The two reserves in the state -- Ranthambhore National Park and the Sariska National Park -- normally open for tourists from October 1. However, due to the ban this year, the parks had to remain closed, turning away many as the tourist zones in these parks lie mostly in core areas. Now, both will open on Wednesday.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices A.K. Patnaik and Swatenter Kumar made it clear that the matter of tourism-related activites in core areas of tiger habitats would continue to be heard further and also said any party aggrieved by the guidelines would have the liberty to challenge the same before the appropriate authority.

The bench’s direction came after additional solicitor-general Indira Jaising informed the court that the notification was formally issued on October 15 for 41 tiger reserves across India.

The lifting of the interim ban on tourism in tiger reserves has brought a cheer to the tiger tourism industry though the Supreme Court has unequivocally placed the onus of responsibility of protection of the tiger reserves on the state governments.

Amit Sankala, director of Tiger Resorts, believes the Supreme Court has given a six month lead period for the creation of Tiger Protection Force (TPF) across all the 17 states in which tiger reserves are located.

Strictly adhere to National Tourism Conservation Authority guidelines, says court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted the ban on tourist activities in core areas of tiger reserve forests. This follows Additional Solicitor-General Indira Jaising’s submission that on October 15 the government notified the revised guidelines for the 41 tiger reserves to be followed by States. A Bench of Justices A.K. Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar said: “This court passed an order on July 24 that till final guidelines are issued, core areas won’t be used for tourism. Now that the National Tourism Conservation Authority [NTCA] has notified the comprehensive guidelines under the Wildlife Act for tourism in and around tiger reserves, we modify the interim order and direct that henceforth tourism activities will be strictly in accordance with the guidelines.”

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday notified fresh guidelines on tiger conservation allowing “regulated low impact tourism” in the core and critical tiger habitat.

Panel counsel says States can prepare site-specific tourism plans considering ecological, social and religious issues

The Supreme Court’s observation that guidelines for protection of tiger reserves will not hamper the movement of devotees to the Sabarimala temple comes after a point-blank submission in court by the Kerala government that any attempt to introduce curbs would primarily affect religion, not tourism. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has framed a set of comprehensive guidelines for Project Tiger and tourism in tiger reserves. The guidelines are proposed to be issued under Section 38-O (c) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The Supreme Court today permitted the Centre to notify within a week its fresh guidelines for tiger conservation and regulating tiger tourism.

New Delhi: With the season of festivals and holidays drawing near, the Supreme Court on Tuesday served some good news for wildlife enthusiasts by indicating that it would lift the two-and-a-half mo

The Supreme court on Tuesday allowed the Centre to notify within a week its fresh guidelines on tiger conservation and indicated that it may modify its July 24 order staying all tourism activities in the reserved areas across the country.

A bench of justices A.K. Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar, however, made it clear that the states, if aggrieved by the guidelines, are free to challenge it before the court. “We cannot either validate the guidelines or declare any of the guidelines ultra-vires of the Constitution,” the bench observed, while posting the matter for further hearing on October 16.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Centre to notify within a week its fresh guidelines on tiger conservation.