Tiger tourism ban to continue, next hearing on October 16

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to lift its ban on tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves saying that the ban will continue until the National Tiger Conservation comes up with guidelines on tourism-related activities at sanctuaries. The apex court said that it will not pass any orders until the guidelines were framed. The next hearing in the case is on October 16.

The Centre had end last month filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on tiger tourism urging the court to lift the ban on tiger tourism in core areas of sanctuaries. The Centre said that tourism should be allowed in 20 per cent of core areas and that the states should evolve guidelines to protect tiger habitat and tigers.

The apex court had earlier slammed the government for its re-think on the ban on tourism in core tiger areas. The Centre’s affidavit had virtually urged the apex court to review its July 24 interim order banning tourism in the core areas of the wild cats until final orders. It claimed that the ban on tourism could result in not only loss of livelihood to several persons but also pose threat to wildlife and forests in the country.