Bhopal: Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has pulled up the Madhya Pradesh government for initiating construction work without clearances in the tiger corridor that connects Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve, Son Gharial Sanctuary, and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh, ThePrint has learnt.
The work in question entailed construction of 16 rooms, and a reception for tourists.
In a meeting he chaired on 23 August to express displeasure over the violation made by the state tourism board, Yadav ordered stringent action against those responsible.
The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board had sent a proposal to the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)—responsible for wildlife conservation and development in India—to use 0.1604 hectare of the kath bagla parsili in Son Gharial Sanctuary for construction of rooms for tourists. The kath bagla parsili connects the wildlife sanctuary to the tiger corridor.
Without clearance from the NBWL, the tourism board began construction work on a land parcel that earlier had a rest house meant for the Public Works Department (PWD), according to forest officials. The rest house was subsequently transferred to the tourism department which, in early 2023, started construction work to expand the rest house.
Amit Dubey, field director of Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve told ThePrint, “About two to three months after construction started, authorities of both Son Gharial Sanctuary and Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve raised objections. Tourism department was asked to stop the construction work and apply for necessary permission from National Board for Wildlife.”
After the proposal reached the NBWL, Dr. H.S. Singh, a member of the body’s standing committee, objected to the construction of infrastructure to accommodate more tourists inside the sanctuary.
The NBWL while ordering that the building be demolished immediately has said those responsible for the violation should be charged under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. It has also sought an explanation from the principal secretary (tourism and culture) Sheo Shekhar Shukla and Sidhi District Collector Swarochish Somavanshi, whose tenure coincided with the violation.
“Following the direction of the central government, the state government has been notified of the decision and appraised of the action that needs to be followed. I have also directed all field directors to ensure that such violations do not occur in future,” Vijay N. Ambade, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) under the Madhya Pradesh wildlife department, told ThePrint.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
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