By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
New Delhi, 17 Nov: The Supreme Court today issued a series of directives to the Uttarakhand government, ordering immediate ecological restoration in the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve following extensive damage caused by illegal tree-felling and unauthorised constructions over the years. Hearing the matter today, a bench headed by Chief Justice BR Gavai directed the State to undertake comprehensive rehabilitation measures and ensure accountability for violations that have severely compromised the integrity of the protected reserve.
The bench in very clear terms directed that the state government must repair and restore the ecological damage caused to the Corbett Tiger Reserve. The court further stated that the restoration exercise must be carried out in consultation with the Central Empowered Committee. The Court also instructed that the Chief Wildlife Warden must ensure the demolition of all the unauthorised structures within three months and act strictly as per the advice of the Committee regarding clearing such illegal constructions. The Court also stressed on the need for a robust regulatory framework, observing that measures to compensate for the loss arising from illegal felling of trees must be undertaken immediately by the State.
In its detailed pronouncement, the bench said the Central Empowered Committee shall monitor the ecological restoration plan developed by Uttarakhand for the Corbett Tiger Reserve. The Court also made it clear that if tourism is to be promoted in Corbett, it must strictly be in the form of eco-tourism. It directed that a Tiger Conservation Plan be prepared within three months, adding that sustainable tourism can succeed only when ecological preservation is prioritised above commercial interests. The Court also noted that those working within the core area of the reserve, far from their families, deserve special consideration, and ordered that workers posted under such challenging conditions be extended appropriate facilities.
During the proceedings, the Court issued additional instructions in respect of the tiger safaris and stated that all such activities must remain consistent with the 2019 rules. It stated that rescue centres must be established near safari zones to provide treatment and care to wildlife and ordered that the number of vehicles entering safari areas must be regulated to minimise disturbance within the reserve.
The SC bench reiterated the need to finalise the Tiger Conservation Plan within the stipulated timeframe and observed that the detailed judgment would be uploaded later in the day. The judgement was yet to be uploaded as this news was being filed.
It may be recalled that the apex court’s directions come against the backdrop of earlier findings highlighting serious environmental violations in the Corbett Tiger Reserve, including the construction of cottages, roads and infrastructure in prohibited areas, and the unauthorised felling of thousands of trees. Several senior IFS cadre officers face serious charges and action in respect of unauthorised construction and illegal tree felling. These issues had triggered strong judicial scrutiny and drawn repeated criticism of the State’s regulatory oversight. It may also be reminded that the information related to this had first surfaced in respect of a proposed Tiger Safari project in Pakhro Range of the Park. As a result, the Central Empowered Committee has been involved by the court in monitoring the work in Corbett and a comprehensive review of state government’s handling of the Park.
Uttarakhand Government now needs to act swiftly to demolish the illegal structures, quantify ecological losses, commence the process of compensatory restoration, stabilise tourism practices within environmental limits and implement a scientifically drafted conservation plan in order to avoid further wrath of the Supreme Court.
