Private Resort's Safari Vehicles Inside Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, High Court's Notice To Forest Principal Secretary And Four Senior Officers

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh High Court principal bench at Jabalpur has issued notices to five senior officials seeking explanation on plying of private resort's safari vehicles beyond Roster System in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR).

The court asked them for an explanation

The notices have been issued to Principal Secretary (forest), Chief Wildlife Warden & Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), Chairman of Local Advisory Committee at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, the reserve's Field Director, the reserve's Tourism Officer, Vindhya Vilas Wildlife Resort and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The court asked them to explain how private resort's safari vehicles are operating beyond the Roster System in the tiger reserve in Bandhavgarh.

Justice Vivek Jain was hearing a plea challenging the March 1 order passed by the reserve's tourism officer stating that four vehicles of the private resort will not be part of the roster system specified by the NTCA.

RTI activist Ajay Dubey said, “Bandhavgarh Paryatan Jan Seva Samiti filed the petition.  HC has issued notices to the said officials asking which government policy or National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guideline has permitted a private resort inside the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to operate its tourist/safari vehicles beyond the specified roster system laid down by NTCA.”