The State government’s proposal to introduce private wildlife sanctuaries around national parks and tiger reserves — based on Africa’s model — is slated for discussion in Bengaluru on Monday. Critics have slammed the proposal as an attempt to circumvent eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) regulations. This, they argue, will abet the entry of real estate developers under the pretext of promoting ecotourism.
A source said those attending the meeting would also include representatives of homestays and private resorts. But two former Principal Chief Conservators of Forests, known to oppose the move, have not been invited.
According to a senior Forest Department official, the Karnataka Private Conservancies Rules, conceived under Section 39 of the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963, provide for creating private conservancies on large swathes of land abutting national parks. And 5% of the land coming under private conservancies could be used for construction of buildings for tourism purposes. Officials have called it an initiative to make “farmers partners in conservation”.
However, activists pointed out that this is in violation of the ESZ regulations mandated by the Supreme Court (writ petition 460 of 2004) according to which adding new resorts or expanding the existing ones is prohibited.
Besides, in response to the apex court ban on tourism in tiger reserves, an affidavit was filed before the SC by the National Tiger Conservation Authority stating that excessive tourism is kept under check by regulating tourists and vehicles. “But the new proposal will only add to the numbers and not reduce it,” said the official.
Santosh Kumar, a wildlife activist, said the entire exercise is fuelled by commercial interests and is not conservation-centric. He pointed out that the surroundings of most national parks and tiger reserves are teeming with private resorts that are detrimental to wildlife movement. Besides, there are encroachment issues that remain unresolved and entry of new players would aggravate the problem and abet forest-land grab, he added.
Conservationists argue that in Africa, national parks are spread over thousands of sq.km and the private conservancies abutting them are of the size of, or bigger than, the national parks in India. But, in India the situation is different.
For example, Nagarahole, which is around 640 sq km, is surrounded by nearly 200 villages, with a large human and cattle population, and the individual land holdings are not more than a few acres.
To establish a private conservancy, not less than 100 acres of land is required, and the new proposal will pave way for the entry of realtors with deep pockets to purchase farm land in bulk that will alter the landscape and spell doom for wildlife, said Mr. Sanotsh Kumar.
