Judicial Overreach Stymieing Eco Tourism in Tiger Reserves
By
Col Satish Singh Lalotra
‘One of the first conditions of happiness is that link between man and nature should not be broken ‘Leo Tolstoy. Responsible travel is not only better for our world; it is also more interesting and memorable. Responsible tourism is the future of travel.
The above statement notwithstanding, a supreme court appointed panel (Central empowered committee), CEC has asked the union environment ministry to amend or withdraw the guidelines related to setting up Zoos and safaris within tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries to discourage the use of wild life habitat for tourism activities which are nonsite specific.
In its report submitted to the Supreme Court last month, the CEC also said that approvals given for setting up zoos and tiger safaris with in tiger reserves and protected areas should be withdrawn forthwith.
Permission could only be given for activities involving rescue and rehabilitation of injured or incapacitated animals from the same landscape. The Supreme Court panel’s observation came on an issue involving the establishment of a “TIGER SAFARI’ in the ‘Buffer zone’ of CTR (Corbett tiger reserve) in Uttarakhand.
Looking at its face value, nothing can be more damaging and placing a restrictive environment both for the beast and a man to coexist peacefully if these observations of CEC are implemented.
According to the NTCA (National tiger conservation authority) guidelines issued in 2012 ,and amended in 2016 & 2019 tiger safaris can be established in buffer zone and fringe areas of a tiger reserve to reduce pressure of tourism in ‘Core zones’ and critical tiger habitats as also to foster awareness for eliciting forest support.
To further jack up its case, the ministry said in June last year that the establishment of zoos over forest areas shouldn’t be considered a nonforest activity, doing away with the need for approval under the forest (conservation) act 1980.
Only in exceptional cases the fringes of these ‘Buffer zones’ may be considered for the construction of a zoo on forest land. The above guide lines of NTCA /ministry of environment are generally attuned to the prevalent rules world over, which further the cause of wildlife conservation.
But then are the recent pronouncements by the Supreme court of India in tandem with those which are the norms world over to promote ‘Ecotourism’ in tiger sanctuaries? Just to put the readers of this article in the right frame of understanding about what’s a ‘Core zone’ and how does it differ from a ‘Buffer zone’ as also how the SC of India seems to be over reaching in its efforts of conservation of tiger sanctuaries a domain entirely of the ministry of environment and that of NTCA.
‘Core zone’ includes protected areas, as they act as a reference point on the natural state of ecosystems represented by the biosphere reserves. Core zone is where the actual forests exist and there are no villages inside this core zone. This zone is basically where the conservation of wild life and natural resources is strictly prohibited by the forest department.
On the other hand a ‘Buffer zone’ is an area that surrounds or adjoins the core area where natural conservation alongside compatible human uses of the land or water is the order of the day. These might include activities such as ‘Ecotourism’, recreation, sustainable agriculture and agroforestry plus others.
The ‘Buffer zone’ is where both villages and animals (tigers) coexist). Hence core zone is actually a forest with abundant wildlife and the buffer zone with few wild life animals alongside with coexisting villages. Here we need to understand that animals are not aware of these zones and hence don’t know where a core zone begins and a buffer zone finishes. They go where ever they want to go guided by their animal instincts.
Therefore all this brouhaha about zones should be restricted to in fact ‘Tiger sightings’ whether in the core zones or the buffer zone as the case may be. The CEC in its wisdom has castigated the NTCA for giving overriding preference to ecotourism by way of promoting tiger safaris rather than conservation of tigers.
Nothing can be farther than truth in this case. In fact the CEC should have taken it with a pinch of salt its castigation when seen in the light of the fact that how can it impinge upon the professional way of thinking and working of country’s premier nature conservation authority which has honed its capabilities on the anvil of excellent conservation related results.
The panel should be aware that it is these tiger safaris /jaunts which are money spinning machines both for the safari organizers as well as the tiger sanctuaries for sustainable development. As for the increasing man animal conflicts arising in the buffer zone of various tiger sanctuaries of India ,it is the unprecedented land pressure which is the casusbelli pitching face to face a tiger against a common villager compounded by the evil machinations of the land mafia which are operating with impunity in that area.
Has the SC of India or the CEC come out with a blue print to reduce pressure on land in the buffer zones? Have any rehab plans chalked out for the hapless people living in these buffer zones of the country’s tiger sanctuaries?
In fact in places like Jim Corbett national park it is the local land mafia in active collusion with the builder’s lobby who are parceling away the land in the buffer zone to gullible population and raking millions of rupees.
What is the local state government or the Supreme Court’s take in this regard? The above corrosive activities of the interested parties have resulted into the restriction of the buffer zone further, thus putting a tiger in direct line of confrontation with a villager.
It is not the tiger safaris or zoos which are coming in the way of tiger conservation, but the above actions as explained. Has the SC of India taken to Task various state governments of the country for their lackadaisical approach in pinning the land mafia operating in the buffer zones and put them under a scanner? I am sure the apex court of the country is aware that all these tiger sanctuaries dotting the countryside are also sustaining tribal population inhabiting these buffer zones.
Few queries to the honourable members of the CEC through this article of mine will go a long way in dispelling the fog surrounding this vexed issue
* How and in what manner is the CEC planning to sustain the various buffer zones of tiger sanctuaries in the absence of any concrete guidelines to reign in the land mafia operating with impunity over there?
* Has the CEC given any authentic solution to the ministry of environment to generate income in the event of these tiger safaris closing down?
* Has the SC of India appointed CEC given any road map to the ministry of environment to showcase the wildlife wealth of India to its citizenry in the absence of closing of the safaris? If not why not?
* Has the CEC given any recommendation to the ministry for additional financial grants to maintain these tiger sanctuaries in the wake of these safaris going kaput?
* What additional inputs have been given to the ministry to attract foreign tourists to show case India’s tiger wealth who come all the way from various parts of the world?
* What road map has been charted out for the ancillary businesses connected with the zoos and safaris going bust?
* With the tribal population of Tharu ,Buxa, Korkus,Gonds, and Bhils already being evicted from their traditional habitats by the land mafias , the buffer zones which house max of these marginalized population would be under an additional pressure thus adding grist to the mill.
How do we rehab them? As if this was not enough the panel has even suggested the CZA(Central zoo authority) not to approve any fresh proposal for establishment of new zoos and safaris within tiger reserves ,wildlife sanctuaries ,national parks along animal corridors and animal dispersal routes. It goes without saying that all these guidelines already from part of charter of duties of CZA.
Nothing new in it. But what is new is the sudden and new love in the form of judicial activism which instead of forming a bedrock of time and tested framework of rules for the smooth operation of various national agencies is proving the other way around.
Time the apex body of judiciary pressed the pause button in flexing its muscles. No wonder world renowned writer Leo Tolstoy didn’t say it in futility One of the first conditions of human happiness is that the link between man and nature should not be broken.
