Sunday, November 4, 2012

TIGER TOURISM IN INDIA SPURRED BY SC’S LIFT ON BAN

The ban laid on the 41 Indian tiger reserves has been lifted by National Tiger Conservation Authority of India (NTCAI) of late to enable tourists and wildlife enthusiasts with the glimpse of royal predator in their natural turf.
 
INDIA - November 2nd, 2012 - 31st October, 2012. New Delhi. In what is seen as a major boost to tiger tourism in India, the Indian Supreme Court has lifted the earlier ban on all tourist activities in core tiger reserve areas, which had further been extended to September 29, 2012.
 
The apex court on Tuesday vacated its interim ban order passed on July 24 and permitted tourism in core areas. However, the SC has directed all authorities to strictly stick to the National Tiger Conservation Authority guidelines. The earlier ban was imposed across 41 tiger reserves that included key areas in Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
 
The ban was the result of the petition filed by a private campaigner seeking a stay on tourist activities in key areas in a bid to curb poaching. The Court also recognized that tourism actually helps the cause of conservation by boosting the economy of villages and giving local populations a stake in the survival of the tiger. This is bound to propel tourism in the above mentioned states and bound to attract a much higher tourist footfall. It is notable that states such as Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand have tourism as a major source of revenue.
 
It is, thus, good news that the ban has finally been curbed. Following the lift, the National Tiger Conservation Authority has also announced further guidelines to prevent any poaching incidents and protect the tiger. The new rules state that no new tourism infrastructure will be created in the inner areas of the parks. The rules further stressed that state governments will have six months to present plans or comply with national guidelines on protecting the tiger. There is also the proposition of follow ups in form of safety checks and random inspections to ascertain compliance of all directives set forth by the Supreme Court.

Detailed about Wildlife in India: http://www.wildlifeindiatours.com/

Source: TRAVPR.COM