In a bid to secure India’s national animal from harm caused by greedy humans, the Supreme Court on Wednesday banned tiger safaris within the core reserve of Jim Corbett National Park, the country’s first, and best known, wildlife sanctuary. According to the order, these safaris are now allowed only in the peripheral and buffer zones surrounding Uttarakhand’s most famous tourist attraction.
According to a report in The Times of India newspaper, the verdict is aimed at ensuring that the natural habitat of tigers is safeguarded and the harmful impact of tourism in the forest reserve is lessened. The court imposed these strict conditions for the protection of wildlife and the environment.
Expressing disappointment at the troubling nexus between local politicians and forest officers, the court also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the alleged involvement of Uttarakhand Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat and former divisional forest officer Kishan Chand in illegal construction and tree-felling in the Corbett tiger reserve. The report of the investigation has to be submitted to the Supreme Court within 90 days.
