Supreme Court passes set of directions including declare ESZs around tiger reserves, ban on mining activities

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the state of Uttarakhand to take measures for restoration and undo the damage due to illegal tree felling and ensure demolition of all unauthorised structures in Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve in three months.

Passing a slew of directions for ensuring conservation measures, a bench led by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai said that if tourism has to be promoted, it has to be eco-tourism.

The bench also comprising Justices Augustine George Masih and Atul S Chandurkar listed out certain activities which will be banned in the buffer zone and catchment areas. The court's judgment in the pending T N Godavarman case, in a plea by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal.

"The infrastructure of the forest camp must recieve facilities like clean water etc," the court said, while directing the chief wildlife warden to ensure demolition of all unauthorised structures in Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve in three months.

The court also directed the court-appointed panel to supervise ecological restoration plan developed by Uttarakhand state.

"The CEC shall supervise the ecological restoration plan developed by Uttarakhand," the bench said.

While developing and implementing this plan and carrying out afforestation, the State of Uttarakhand must ensure that only native and indigenous species are identified, with special care to not introduce any alien species to the ecosystem, the court added.

The court emphasised that Tiger safari has to be in consonance with the 2019 rules of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

The bench said tiger safari shall be established on ‘non-forest land’ or ‘degraded forest land’ in buffer areas provided that is not part of a tiger corridor.

“Tiger safari shall be allowed only in association with a full-fledged rescue and rehabilitation centre for tigers where conflict animals, injured animals or abandoned animals are housed for care and rehabilitation,” the bench said.

The court accepted the recommendations with regards to Guidelines for Tiger Safaris and direct that they may be established and run with due consideration of the ‘Guidelines to Establish Tiger Safari in Buffer and Fringe Areas of Tiger Reserves 2019’.

It ordered setting up of rescue centers and regulation of the number of vehicles.

The bench also clarified that there should be no outsourcing of staff functions, suggesting awarding staff members for good works as an incentive.