The forest department has suspended all safaris in the State’s tiger reserves from Tuesday morning.
The Supreme Court’s interim order banning tourism activities in the core areas of tiger reserves has shocked operators of the Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) and other resorts around tiger reserves that made a living from tourism. The chief wildlife warden of the State, Deepak Sharma, PCCF (Wildlife) has sent faxes to all tiger reserves ordering that safaris must be suspended until a final decision is taken. “We have ordered to suspend the safaris inside Nagarhole, Bandipuir, Bhadra, Dandeli and K Gudi area in BRT Tiger Reserve. The ban will continue until the court takes up the matter next month,” Mr Sharma said.
On Tuesday, several tourists at the Kabini property of JLR had to return to their lodgings as no safari trips were conducted. The Lakvalli property in Bhadra Tiger Reserve also suspended all safari activities.
An official from JLR told Deccan Chronicle that JLR is not taking bookings for the coming weekends. “Those who have already booked in JLR properties in Bandipur and Nagarhole will have their money refunded to them,” the official said. Karnataka was one of the first tiger states in the country to notify the Core Critical Area in all its tiger reserves two years ago. But, ironically, most tourist facilities and safari areas fall in the core areas.
For instance, the Sunkadakatte tourism zone is an important corridor for animals between Nagarhole, Bandipur and Wynad in Kerala, but the influx of tourists is disturbing the movement of the animals. The Supreme Court will take up the issue again on August 22, but conservationists don’t expect any change in the order banning tourists in the core zones of tiger reserves. The Supreme Court order will also ensure that the State government identifies the ‘buffer zone’ for tiger reserves in the State. Except for Nagarhole, the other four tiger reserves have demarcated buffer zones in the form of revenue lands, private properties, reserve forests and minor forest.