MLA wants free Tadoba safari for Chandrapur locals

NAGPUR: Chandrapur MLA Kishore Jorgewar’s demand to waive entry and safari fees for people from the district wanting to visit Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) has not gone well with the forest officials and wildlife lovers.
The forest officials and nature lovers feel that the demand is another political gimmick by the independent MLA, who was elected in 2019 on a another populist plank. He had promised free electricity up to 200 units for district people as they were the worst sufferers of pollution while generating power.
Among other forest issues like crop depredation, man-animal conflict, and Zudpi jungle, on Thursday, forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar called a meeting in Mumbai to discuss Jorgewar’s demand of free or concessional safari to the residents of Chandrapur, setting up of tiger safari and rescue centre and taxidermy of dead wild animals.
Talking to TOI, Jorgewar said, “I had raised these issues in the budget session of the assembly. The meeting was a sequel to my follow-up.”
“The cost of a safari in Tadoba has gone up to ₹6,000-8,000, which is unaffordable by the middle class, and hence it should be either waived or brought down to a reasonable level,” said Jorgewar.
“Even as Chandrapur is a tiger district of the country, local people are not benefiting in any way. Increasing tiger numbers have led to flared-up man-animal conflict and people are suffering. Hence, they should be compensated by waiving off safari charges. Only a section of students and sportspersons, and those who the forest minister thinks justified are getting sops,” the MLA said.
During 2022-23, the TATR management has offered free safari trips to Tadoba to at least 10,000 tribal students from the schools in the buffer zone and those from the man-animal conflict zone of Bramhapuri. Women’s self-help groups (SHGs) are also availing of the benefit.
Officials on condition of anonymity said, “Waiving off safari charges to the entire district would mean injustice against villagers in the buffer zone who have been sharing benefits of receipts generated from ecotourism. It would also mean unfairness against over 1,000 guides and gypsy drivers and owners.”
Chandrapur nature lovers said, “The MLA has already deceived us by not fulfilling his poll promise of giving free electricity to 200 units. The free safari is another ploy by Jogrewar.”
A section of wildlife lovers said, “The MLA is setting a wrong precedent. He should make a similar demand from the Railway Board to allow free train travel for Chandrapur residents because they are facing critical pollution from coal loading and transportation by the railways.”
The MLA said his other demand for a tiger safari and rescue centre on 171 hectares, for which the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray government had announced ₹87 crores, is being deliberately delayed. There is no proper setup for tigers and leopards getting injured in conflict or rescued by the forest department, he said.
“The tiger safari is a good project where tourists who fail to sight tigers in the core area can avail the safari facility,” said Jorgewar. The task to set up the tiger safari has been handed over to the FDCM.
Jorgewar also wanted to promote taxidermy of tigers, leopards and big mammals that are killed due to natural or unnatural reasons. “Such animals can help students and researchers to know more about the species,” he said.