CZA seeks report on ‘illegal cutting’ of trees in Corbett
DEHRADUN: Central Zoo Authority (CZA) issued a notice to chief wildlife warden Uttarakhand seeking report on allegations of illegal cutting of trees in Corbett Tiger Reserve’s Kalagarh division for the setting up of the Pakhrau Tiger Safari.
The development follows legal notice sent by Gaurav Kumar Bansal, wildlife activist and advocate of Supreme Court, in which he has urged CZA and National Tiger Conservation Authority ( NTCA) to withdraw their “approval” for the establishment of the tiger safari in the Gujjar Sot, Pakhrau Block, Sonanadi Range, Kalagarh Division in Corbett Tiger Reserve.
Bansal said in his notice he has stated that Forest Advisory Committee of Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had recommended the proposal only after the written assurance from Uttarakhand Forest officials that only 163 trees will be felled for the setting up of the tiger safari. “However, in contrary of its undertaking, forest department officials have uprooted nearly 10,000 trees in the area”, he said.
Sonali Gosh, Deputy Inspector General of Forests at CZI in her September 17 letter to principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and chief wildlife warden Uttarakhand has asked them to verify facts and submit their response for further action.
Bansal said even director CTR has sought report from divisional forest officer Kalagarh on illegal cutting of trees for setting up of the tiger safari.
The legal notice states that “grievance which applicant wish to highlight is that illegal felling of trees in the name of establishment of Pakhrau Tiger Safari and that too within Corbett Tiger Reserve, which is one of the best and oldest National Park in the Country, is not only against the statutory approvals granted by National Tiger Conservation Authority, Central Zoo Authority and Forest Advisory Committee but is also contempt of the order dated 09/04/2001 issued by Supreme Court of India in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 47 of 1998 titled as ‘Navin M Raheja Vs. Union of INDIA and Others’ wherein the apex court expressly observed that no tree whatsoever shall be felled in the Corbett Tiger Reserve by the State or anyone else”.
When contacted PCCF Rajiv Bhartari said he had directed the PPCF wildlife JS Suhag to give a status report on the allegations, based on which the response will be sent to CZA.
Rahul (who goes by his first name), director CTR, however, rubbished the allegations that 10,000 trees have been cut for the safari project. “Prima facie there are no irregularities in the construction of the tiger safari. We have all the required permissions. But still, I have sought a status report from DFO Kalagarh in the matter. This tiger safari project was conceived during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Corbett in February 2019,” he said.
According to the minutes of the meeting of the forest advisory committee (FAC) held on September 21, 2020, the proposal for seeking prior approval of the Central Government under Section 2 of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for non-forestry use of 106.16 hectare of forest land Compartment No. 3 and 8 of Kalagarh Tiger Reserve Division of Pakhro Range, Pakhro Block of Pauri Garhwal district for the establishment of Tiger Safari was discussed.
The FAC recommended the proposal on certain conditions that all statutory approvals obtained from NTCA and CZA would be complied and the state government would ensure the infrastructure of the tiger safari is created mainly from bamboo and other natural materials.