Jungle Resorts takes best safari vehicles, allege private resorts

BENGALURU: Karnataka Eco-Tourism Resorts Association and private resorts outside Nagarahole and Bandipur National Parks and Tiger Reserves, have approached the High Court against alleged discrimination in allotment of safari vehicles, and issuing new safari permits to new resorts in violation of government and court orders.

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Ashok S Kinagi issued notice to the principal secretary and other authorities of the forest department, and Jungle Lodges and Resorts Limited (JLRL), after the plea was filed, seeking direction for fair allotment of safari vehicles and non-expansion of existing facilities.   

The petitioners alleged discrimination in allocation of vehicles to guests of their resorts. Routes that fell in zones where there were good sightings of wildlife would repeatedly be allotted to vehicles of JLRL, and guests of private resorts would almost always be away from the sighting zones.

JLRL is deliberately depriving guests of private resorts the real experience of national parks. A tripartite agreement was entered into to avoid discrimination, but has not been followed by JLRL, they added. Guests of the petitioner resorts were repeatedly allotted seats only in Canters, which are noisy and dilapidated. JLRL guests are almost always allotted jeeps for the safari which offer better comfort, the petitioners alleged.