SC rejects Centre's request, extends ban on tourism in tiger reserves

Aug 22, 2012, 14:48PM



New Delhi: Rejecting Centre's appeal, Supreme Court on Wednesday extended interim ban on tourism in core areas of tiger reserves.

The Apex Court extended the ban till August 29, when the next hearing will take place.

Notably, Centre on Tuesday had appealed the SC to review the policy ob banning tourism in tiger reserves as doing so will affect the livelihood of the locals.

Centre on Tuesday said that it wants to review the policy on banning tourism in tiger reserves.

Stepping in to conserve the big cat, the Supreme Court on July 24 had directed that there shall be no tourism activity in any of the core zones of tiger reserves across the country.

A bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and Ibrahim Kalifulla also warned of contempt proceedings and imposition of exemplary costs on states which failed to notify the buffer zones in their respective tiger reserves.

The Apex Court also warned of contempt proceedings and imposition of exemplary costs on states which failed to notify the buffer zones in their respective tiger reserves.

Following the SC directive, Madhya Pradesh government had sought Centre's intervention to cope up with the fallout of the order.

Tiger breeding takes place in core areas which are meant to be kept free of any disturbance, including tourism. Buffer zones are the areas which lie in the periphery of core areas also known as critical tiger habitats. The buffer zones constitute the fringe areas of tiger reserves up to a distance of 10 kms.

Notably, the ban will remain in force until the court finally disposes of the PIL.

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