NEW DELHI: More than 400 illegal structures and resorts in the buffer zones of tiger reserves and national parks are operational across the country. Despite the mushrooming of illegal structures, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has not been able to crack down on the resorts.
In a recent meeting, the NTCA has decided that there is a need to evolve a policy-based strategy to control the mushrooming of these resorts.
According to the minutes of the meeting recently made public, NTCA officials also discussed that such developments in the Corbett Tiger Reserve had blocked the animal corridor along the Kosi, extending into the Ramnagar Forest Division.
“On the southern boundary of the Corbett Tiger Reserve, the motor road put hindrance for safe passage of animals to adjoining areas of the Amangarh Forest Division. There are many rest houses along the southern boundary of the tiger reserve as well. The unauthorised human settlements at the eastern boundary of the reserve choked the animal corridor, joining Corbett with Ramnagar Forest Division,” an Environment Ministry official told The Tribune.
Despite focus on tiger conservation, India has lost 228 big cats in the last two years. In 2012, the NTCA had directed states not to allow construction of tourism infrastructure in and around tiger reserves.
However, recent instances indicate that the forest departments of states like Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra have promoted the construction of illegal tourist facilities.
While states have been directed by the NTCA to relocate villagers from tiger reserves so that instances of man-animal conflict can be reduced, sources within the forest departments said “senior” officials allow the construction of tourism activities in the reserves.