Nagpur: The Nagpur Bench of Bombay high court consisting of justices BP Dharmadhikari and ZA Haq on Wednesday directed the state government and PCCF (wildlife) to frame new guidelines and set of rules for regulating tourism in Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). It also slammed the officials over misuse of VIP quota for safari.
Accepting the prayer of petitioner Avinash Prabhune in PIL (88/2017) after observing rampant tourism irregularities, the HC directed PCCF and government to frame new set of rules in eight weeks by taking assistance of petitioner and his counsel Tushar Mandlekar.
Earlier, the court directed forest department to file an affidavit giving all the details of VIP entries permitted by TATR in the last one year after specific allegations were made by Prabhune alleging excessive
tourism in Tadoba and misuse of ‘discretionary quota’ in permitting tourists in the name of VIPs.
The affidavit was filed on Wednesday by TATR field director Mukul Trivedi. It disclosed 1,875 names of persons who were allowed through VIP quota from October 10, 2017, to March 31, 2018.
After going through the affidavit and list of so-called VIPs, the court came down heavily on officials. Counsel for forest department Shishir Uikey admitted that there was no actual VIP in this list and these tourists were given entry at the insistence of VIPs.
TOI was first to expose the misuse of discretionary quota on December 28, 2016, at the insistence of then PCCF (wildlife). The contention of petitioner has been established true in the court.
The petitioner had contended that forest officials permitted excessive tourism by misusing their powers to benefit resort owners. The HC too was convinced that the existing set of ‘entry rules 2018’ are of no use and hence, directed to prepare new guidelines and rules for regulating tourism.
The petitioner has also challenged the circular/notification by which entry fee for common man is determined at Rs8,000 per trip. Mandlekar pointed out that although only 12 vehicles per day are permitted under VIP/management quota. In April-December 2015, 3,759 vehicles were permitted as against 1,248.
Similarly, 322 vehicles were arbitrarily permitted by field director as against 84 vehicles in seven days from October 31, 2016, to November 6, 2016. Hence, misuse of discretionary quota is apparent.
Uikey admitted entries to non-VIPs under the garb of VIPs was at the behest of mantralaya officers.
