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Informist, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025

 

NEW DELHI – Directing all the states to prepare a tiger conservation plan, the Supreme Court Monday ruled that tiger safaris shall not be permitted in the core or a critical tiger habitat area. However, tiger safaris shall be established on 'non-forest land' or 'degraded forest land' in buffer areas provided that is not part of a tiger corridor, said a bench led by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai. The top court directed all states to notify the buffer and core areas of the tiger reserves within six months.

 

Tiger safaris shall be allowed only in association with a full-fledged rescue and rehabilitation centre for tigers where conflict animals, injured animals or abandoned animals are housed for care and rehabilitation, said the top court. Tiger Safaris may be established and run with due consideration of the 'Guidelines to Establish Tiger Safari in Buffer and Fringe Areas of Tiger Reserves, 2019' National Tiger Conservation Authority. Further, solar, hybrid, electric vehicles must be promoted and number of vehicles also must be regulated in the tiger safaris, said the top court.

 

The top court directed the Uttarakhand government, through its chief wildlife warden, in consultation with the central empowered committee, to submit a plan for the restoration of the Corbett Tiger Reserve in line with the recommendations made by the committee, within a period of two months. The court asked the state government to begin all clearing and demolition of unauthorised construction in the Corbett Tiger Reserve within three months. The central empowered committee will monitor and supervise the implementation of the ecological restoration plan developed by the Uttarakhand government.

 

The bench, also comprising Justice A.G. Masih and Justice A.S. Chandurka, directed all the state governments to notify eco-sensitive zones around all tiger reserves, including buffer and fringe areas, in one year. The prohibited activities in these eco-sensitive zones will include commercial mining, setting of saw mills, setting of industries causing pollution, commercial use of firewood for hotels and other businesses, establishment of major hydroelectric projects and undertaking activities related to tourism like overflying the tiger reserves by lowflying aircraft, said the bench.

 

The top court said that the tiger conservation plan should clearly delineate zones within the buffer areas where new tourism infrastructure may be developed, considering road accessibility, proximity to village habitations and animal corridors. Development of tourism infrastructure in buffer zones should be regulated in accordance with the eco-sensitive zones notifications issued under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, said the apex court. Eco friendly tourism facilities and infrastructure can be allowed on non-forest land in the buffer area of the tiger reserve, the court added.

 

On permission of resorts within close proximity of protected areas, the top court remarked, "Ecotourism cannot resemble mass tourism and must be adequately regulated and adhere strictly to NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) Guidelines". New eco-friendly resorts may be allowed in buffer but shall not be allowed in an identified corridor, said the top court. Homestays and community-managed establishments should be encouraged and incentives should also be given to them, said the court. A complete ban on night tourism must be implemented, the court added.

 

The entire area of the tiger reserve, including eco-sensitive zones and protected areas, shall be notified as "silence zone" under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, within three months, said the court. Further, the authorities of tiger reserve would be empowered to enforce the regulation of maintaining silence zones and acting under relevant statutes, the court added.

 

The top court asked the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, National Tiger Conservation Authority, and the central empowered committee to jointly come out with a policy framework on funding for tiger reserves within six months. Such a policy should contain a standard operating procedure for raising budgetary grants and assessment and approval of the same, said the court. 

 

Earlier, the top court had directed the constitution of an expert committee to carry out an in-depth inquiry, and make recommendations based on various aspects specifically including--restoration, governance, and operational protocols for tiger safaris, as well as guidelines for mitigation of ecological damage. The expert committee was also specifically tasked with identifying officials who were personally liable for the damage caused to the Corbett Tiger Reserve. Based on the committee's report, the top court passed a bunch of directions to maintain overall ecological balance and regulate natural processes in the forest.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

 

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