‘Open up to 20 % of tiger reserves areas to regulated tourism’

“It is recommended that a maximum of 20 percent of the core/critical tiger habitat usage (not exceeding the present usage) may be permitted for regulated,low-impact tourist visitation.

“In case the current usage exceeds 20 percent,the LAC (local advisory committee) may decide on a time frame for bringing down the use to 20 per cent,” the Centre said

A bench of justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar allowed the Centre to place the guidelines before it after counsel Haris Beran mentioned the matter.

The Centre said such areas may be demarcated as tourism zone and restoration of buffer areas should be done through unified control under the respective field director of tiger reserves as per the guidelines of Project Tiger and National Tiger Conservation Authority.

“Further no new tourism infrastructure should be created in the core areas. Existing residential infrastructure inside core/critical tiger habitats should be strictly regulated to adhere to low ecological impacts as decided by the LAC on a site specific basis,” the government said.

According to the Centre,the aim of the guideline was to move towards a system of tourism around tiger reserves which is primarily community-based tourism.

“The objective of these guidelines is to move from wildlife tourism to tourism which is defined as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of the local people.

The guidelines envisaged that “such tourism should be low-impact,educational and conserve the ecology and the environment,while directly benefiting the economic well-being of local communities.”

The Centre said permanent tourist facilities located inside core / critical tiger habitats,which are being used for wildlife tourism should be phased out as per a time frame decided by the LAC.

It said under the new guidelines,there has to be a synergy and collaboration amongst the Central government,relevant states,the forest dwellers,the local communities and the civil societies for successful implementation of the programme.

It was also proposed to charge a conservation fee ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 3000 from the tourism industry for the eco-development and local community upliftment works,depending upon the number of beds in a particular resort.

Among other measures,the guidelines said that visitors should be kept at a distance of at least 20 meters from all forms of wildlife and luring/feeding any wildlife should be strictly prohibited.

Under the existing guidelines and rules of the Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972,the states have to notify the list of core and buffer areas of tiger reserves in their respective jurisdictions.

Buffer zones are the areas which lie in the periphery of the core areas also known as critical tiger habitats. Tiger breeding takes place in core areas which are meant to be kept free of any disturbance,including tourism.

The buffer zones constitute the fringe areas of tiger reserves up to a distance of 10 kms. The number of tigers in the country are estimated to be over 1,700.