The Supreme Court has postponed making a decision on the status of its interim ban on tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves, and instead asked stakeholders to submit within three days any objections they might have to the government’s new guidelines on the issue.
The next hearing is on 3 October when the court is likely to issue a final order. In its previous hearing on 29 August, the apex court directed the government to re-draft guidelines for eco-tourism in tiger reserves. The government submitted its new guidelines to the court on 26 September.
The guidelines, some experts said, were re-drafted under pressure from lobbyists for the tiger tourism industry, which is worth at least Rs.1,000 crore annually.
A high-powered committee constituted to frame guidelines on tourism in tiger reserves has recommended regulated tourist activity in 20% of the core areas and a ban on construction of new resorts within the critical habitat. Demarcation of the 20% would be by the local advisory committee (LAC) headed by the divisional commissioner.
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