NAGPUR: Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh has been urged to take action against chief wildlife warden of Madhya Pradesh for instigating tour operators to go against a PIL demanding ban on tourism in core areas of state`s tiger reserves.
Ajay Dubey of Prayatna, a Bhopal-based NGO working for environment protection for the past 10 years, filed a PIL against NTCA and others on September 8, in Jabalpur high court seeking ban on tourism in core zones of reserves. The respondents have been directed to file affidavits and the next hearing is slated for December 6.
Kishor Rithe, member of National Board for Wild Life (NBWL), on Tuesday sought Ramesh`s intervention in the matter mentioning that even though the matter was subjudice, an email from chief wildlife warden H S Pabla asking tour operators to go against the PIL was disturbing.
Pabla, on September 14, wrote to high-profile resort owners and tour operators in MP and apprised them of the case. The mail stated that although the government would oppose the PIL, if lodge owners, travel operators, guides etc. should also intervene if they did not want it to succeed.
"As the case may have serious consequences, kindly take whatever steps you think will be appropriate to protect your interests. As I`m travelling and do not have the mail ids of all, please inform others," Pabla wrote to select operators. Pabla confirmed having sent the mail, but refused to comment saying the matter was subjudice.
"This is a serious issue," Rithe said. It seems that chief wildlife warden has joined hands with the tour operators to oppose the petitioner, who is trying to implement the provisions of Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972 and the NTCA guidelines about tourism in core areas.
"When the states and centre are shifting villages in reserves to make the core areas inviolate for tigers, will it be wise to open up the same areas for tourism," asked Rithe. Petitioner Ajay Dubey had filed the PIL following debacle in Panna where all 35 tigers vanished in five years
"Pabla is a government servant and it is very sad that he is using his position to lobby against the PIL like this. The words in the letter like `take whatever steps.." sound threatening," Dubey told TOI. Dubey urged the chief secretary of the state to provide security against such threats and constitute an inquiry against Pabla.
The NTCA in its reply admitted that Section 38V (4) (i) of the WPA provided for keeping the core/critical tiger habitats (CTHs) inviolate. The revised guidelines of the centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) of Project Tiger (February 2008) states, "Core and CTHs would not be used for any form of tourism, and the ongoing tourism activities in such areas should be phased out to fringe and buffer areas without affecting its corridor value."
On August 7, Ramesh had written to MP chief minister Shivrajsingh Chouhan cautioning about Pabla`s initiative `Patrolling the tiger land` involving tourists in patrolling of protected areas and reserves.
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