Supreme Court Declines to Ban Overnight Stays in Core Tiger Reserve Areas

The Supreme Court of India refused a plea to stop overnight tourist stays in core tiger reserve areas, citing potential impacts on local livelihoods. The court is considering allowing the National Tiger Conservation Authority to issue conservation directives. A uniform national policy on tiger reserve management is being sought.

In a significant decision, the Supreme Court of India has refused to entertain a plea aimed at banning overnight tourist stays in the core areas of the country's tiger reserves. The bench, led by Chief Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih, expressed concern that such restrictions might negatively impact local communities dependent on tourism.

The plea raised environmental concerns, specifically the ecological balance disruption due to increased vehicular traffic resulting from overnight stays. However, the court emphasized the need for a uniform approach to managing tiger reserves, which includes regulating vehicle movements in these sensitive areas.

The court is deliberating whether to empower the National Tiger Conservation Authority with the authority to set conservation guidelines. This issue gained attention following an incident in Maharashtra's Umred-Pauni-Karhandla Sanctuary, where tourist vehicles blocked a tigress and her cubs. Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing regarding the Central Bureau of Investigation's enquiry into illegal activities in the Corbett Tiger Reserve.

(With inputs from agencies.)