Sought approval for jungle lodges and resorts, KSTDC

The state government informed the high court that the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) had submitted an application seeking approval from the Central government to run the jungle lodges and resort at Dubare reserve forest near Kushalnagar of Kodagu district.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice SR Krishna Kumar was hearing a PIL filed by P S Mohan, a resident of Kushal Nagar.

Advocate for the Jungle Lodges and Resorts Limited (JLR) informed that as per the high court order, the KSTDC, which runs the JLR, has filed an application before the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change through online portal under Section 2 of Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.

Advocate for the petitioner L Rajanna submitted that the KSTDC was running a resort in the reserve forest without obtaining necessary permission from the Centre. Justice Oka directed the KSTDC to file status report on obtaining the approval from the Centre.