Aravallis at Risk: A Call to Halt the Haryana Safari Project

A group of 37 retired Indian Forest Service officers urges Prime Minister Narendra Modi to scrap a plan for a 10,000-acre safari project in Haryana's Aravallis. They argue that the project, focused on tourism, threatens conservation efforts, wildlife habitats, and regional aquifers, advocating instead for conservation and restoration.

In a compelling appeal, 37 retired Indian Forest Service officers have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the immediate cancellation of a planned safari project spanning 10,000 acres in Haryana's Aravallis. They argue that the initiative prioritizes tourism over vital conservation efforts in India's oldest mountain range.

The officers, including former principal chief conservators of forests, emphasized the ecological significance of the Aravallis, which extend through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and near Delhi. They warned that human encroachments have already led to mounting human-wildlife conflicts and critically depleted groundwater levels in the region.

The proposed safari, announced in April 2022, is part of the BJP's campaign for the 2024 Haryana elections. However, the letter criticized its potential to increase vehicular traffic, disrupt crucial aquifers, and accelerate biodiversity loss. The foresters stressed that true conservation efforts must prioritize protecting natural habitats over developing tourism facilities.

(With inputs from agencies.)