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[Environment] SC Ban on Tiger Tourism, Core and Buffer Areas, ProjectTiger, NTCA Guidelines explained

1. What is core zones and Buffer Zone?

2. What is Project Tiger?

3. What is NTCA?

4. Why is Tiger population threatened?

5. Concept of Umbrella Species: Why do we need to protect Tiger?

6. International Cooperation

7. Timeline of Events

8. July 2012: SC bans tourism

9. Pro-Tourism Arguments

10. Misleading information by Media

11. Employment

12. Tourism actually helps the tigers

13. Ban on Tourism hurts the tigers

14. Anti-Tourism Arguments

15. Sept-Oct 2012: NTCA frames guidelines

16. October 2012: UPSC asks the question

17. October 2012: SC Lifts the Ban

18. Conclusion

19. Roleplaying question for interview.

20. Cheetah

21. Appendix 1: List of 41 tiger reserves in India

22. Appendix 2: Maps of Tiger Reserves in India

Before discussing Supreme Court’s ban on Tiger Tourism, Let us go through somebasics.

What is core zones and Buffer Zone?

Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the state governments have to notify thelist of core and buffer areas of tiger reserves in their territory.Core zone (critical tiger habitats): This is where tigers usually rest, reside,feed and breed. Therefore, Government should prevent any disturbance in suchareas, including tourism.Buffer zone = areas that lie in the periphery of the core zone.Buffer zones constitute the fringe areas (=The outside boundary or surface ofsomething) of tiger reserves up to 10 kms. Following map should clear theconcept:

http://mrunal.org/



Core Zone and Buffer Zone (Click to Enlarge)

What is Project Tiger?

A 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme, by Ministry of Environment and Forest(MoEF)It was launched in 1973, in nine reserves of different States (Assam, Bihar,Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradeshand West Bengal)Right now it covers total 41 tiger reserves in 17 states.It is a program for “in-situ” conservation of Tigers. (what is the differencebetween in-situ vs ex-situ? What’re the pros and cons of each method? We’vealready seen it in an old article- click ME)In crude words,

It provides for staff, equipment, and infrastructure in tiger reserves.Provides for money, in case a man or cattle is killed by wild animals,crop is lost, rehabilitation of villages etc.

What is NTCA?

National Tiger Conservation AuthorityIt is a provided in the Wildlife Protection Act (Ameneded in 2006).Therefore NTCA is a statutory body. The Minister of Environment and Forest,is the chairman of this NTCA. (Jayanthi Natarajan right now).It coordinates, implements and monitors Project Tiger.It prepares annual reports, which are laid down in the parliament.

Why is Tiger population threatened?

http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3Ku6AQtZabc/UH5v1abQaXI/AAAAAAAAAcc/CN7jMfc-Ffg/s0/enb-Diagram-%252520core%252520areas%252520vs%252520buffer%252520areas%252520of%252520tiger.gif

http://mrunal.org/2012/05/insitu-exsitu.html



Deforestation because ofHuman pressure: farming, mining, illegal felling of trees.Grazing of domestic animals

Because of Deforestation, the size of tiger-prey (Deer, sambar etc.) hasdeclined.Hence tigers have to come outside the protected areas to hunt for animals,including domestic cattle. This leads to man-animal conflict, tiger deaths inroad accidents, and provides ample opportunities to poachers.Tiger breeding/ reproduction is reduced/disturbed due to highways, noisepollution, tourism etc.Tiger is a territorial animal, which advertises its presence in an area throughurine marking and maintains a territory. Therefore, to support a population of80-100 tigers, you’d need a protected area of atleast 1000 sqkm- totallyundisturbed. Otherwise the male tigers would fight, maim and kill eachotherand the weaker ones would be forced to hunt in surrounding villages- leadingto man-animal conflicts.But because of the highways, villages, farming activities, the Habitats aregetting fragmented. Habitat Fragmentation = bad for tigers. They cannot move,hunt or breed freely in small and fragmented habitats.Insurgency in North East and naxals in Central India= Forest dept. cannotefficiently work and protect tigers.

Concept of Umbrella Species: Why do we need toprotect Tiger?

1. Tiger is an “umbrella species”. It resides at the top of the jungle food chain.2. A healthy tiger population indicates that the other ecological components in

its habitat are equally robust, since tigers need large amount of prey and goodhabitat.

3. If the Umbrella species is protected, it will also ensure viable populations ofother wild animals (co –predators like Leopords and prey like dears) and thehabitat (trees, shrubs, water).

4. Thus, when you’re protecting the tiger, you’re indirectly protecting the wholejungle and all the species that live in it.



International Cooperation

1. India has a bilateral understanding with Nepal on controlling trans -boundaryillegal trade in wildlife and conservation,

2. India has signed a protocol on tiger conservation with China3. India has signed a protocol has with Bangladesh for conservation of tigers in

Sunderban region.4. India has Constituted a group on tiger and leopard conservation with Russia.5. India is a party to Convention on Inter national Trade in Endangered Species

of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)6. Unlike China, India doesn’t support captive breeding of tigers (breeding tigers

on a commercial scale, to sell their hides and bones later, just like a poultryfarm).

7. India made an appealing to China to phase out tiger farming and eliminatestockpiles of Atiger body parts and derivatives.

Now coming to the topic of SC Ban on Tiger Tourism

Timeline of Events



July 2012: SC bans tourism

One Mr.Ajay Dubey (NGO named “Prayatna”) filed a public interest litigation(PIL) in Supreme court.

He argued that

1. Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 implies that tourism to all “core” tigerhabitats in India should be banned.

2. But yet, Several state Governments have allowed the construction of hotels,resorts and shops inside the core areas of tiger reserves.

So, Supreme court looked into the matter and imposed a temporary ban on alltourism in the core areas of tiger reserves.

Pro-Tourism Arguments

Misleading information by Media

Consider this- Supreme Court has only banned tourism activity in the “CORE”zone and not in the “buffer” zone.Yet the media covered the whole news in such a sensationalized manner thatpotential tourists thought SC has completely banned tourism in tiger reserves.Hence they cancelled their trips.The truth is, the tourism was still permitted in buffer zones and many a times,tourists can get a glimpse of tigers and other wildlife, while touring in thebuffer zones.For example, in Uttarakhand’s Jim Corbett National Park and Assam’sKaziranga Wildlife Reserve, nobody is allowed to go into 95% of the corearea. So even before the SC ban, for all these years, tourists were seeing thebuffer area only.

Employment

1. Tiger tourism is an 18 million dollar$ industry.2. In Madhya Pradesh Alone, more than 20,000 people earn their livelihood

through tiger-tourism activities related activities.3. There are entire towns that rely on tourism. Ranthambhore [a National Park in

Jaipur] alone gets 2 lakh tourists per year and provides employment to almost4,000 local people directly (from hotel managers, travel guide, waiters, cooksetc) and perhaps 10 times that amount indirectly (rickshaw drivers, fruit-vegetable-milk suppliers etc.)

4. Tourist season is October to March. And generally they get huge bookingsduring Diwali Season. But if tourism activities are banned then all thosepotential customers might prefer to go vacation elsewhere. Thus severelyaffecting the livelihood of so many people.

Tourism actually helps the tigers



1. Presence of tourists provides extra eyes and ears to the Forest Department.2. It helps protect the animals by deterring poachers and loggers,3. It does not affect the animals’ willingness to hunt or breed.4. Seventeen tiger reserves have few or no tigers left in them. No tourism has

ever been allowed in or near these reserves. Instead, loggers arrived, thinnedthe jungle then tigers were forced to hunt outside core areas and poachers goteasy opportunities to kill them.

5. Poachers are the largest threat to tigers, not tourism. And the solution thus, isimprovement in law enforcement rather than a ban on tourism.

Ban on Tourism hurts the tigers

1. The complete ban on tourism = ban would result in loss of livelihood(income) to local populations (Who work as tourist guides, supply vegetablesetc to the hotels etc.)

2. And then they would be forced to be more dependent on forest for theirlivelihood e.g. cutting trees, selling jungle produce illegally, may be huntingand poaching. so overall, this ban will damage the jungles and wildlife.

Anti-Tourism Arguments

1. The tour operators run ‘wildlife safaris’ day and night. All the vehiclemovement, honking, shouting, camera flashes disturb the tigers.

2. Construction of hotels, shops etc = deforestation.3. The garbage created by tourists, hotels = not good.

Sept-Oct 2012: NTCA frames guidelines

Recap: SC had banned tourism in core areas of tiger reserves. So, if Governmentwanted to get this ban lifted, it’d need to convince the supreme court that we aredoing everything to protect the tigers and make sure tourism doesn’t hurt the tigers.

Union Government >> Ministry of Environment and Forest >> National TigerConservation Authority (NTCA). This NTCA framed new guideline for StateGovernments regarding the Tiger Tourism.

Here are the salient guidelines / main recommendations:

1. Allow tourist activities, only up to 20 percent of the core/critical tiger habitat.2. Instead of the conventional wildlife tourism, promote a new type of tourism

(ecotourism) that conserves the environment, educates the tourists about tigerconservation and improves the well-being of the local people.

3. Make sure that no new tourism infrastructure (resorts, hotels, shops etc) iscreated in the core areas of tiger reserves.

4. If there are already any permanent tourist infrastructure (resort,hotels etc)inside the core areas, then they’ll be removed in phased manner. Theprocedure will be regulated by a Local Advisory Committee. This LocalAdvisory Committee will comprise of divisional commissioner, local MLA



and district collector.5. Charge a conservation fee ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 3000 from the tourism -

depending upon the number of beds in a particular resort. And use this moneyfor the benefit of local community.(education, health, etc)

6. Visitors be kept at least 20 meters from all forms of wildlife and nobody willbe allowed to lure or feed any wildlife creatures.

7. each tiger reserve should calculate the maximum number of visitors andvehicles that can be permitted on any given day considering their potential todisturb wildlife. E.g. At Kanha, the limit will be 25 vehicles in forenoon and15 in afternoon

8. Use of battery operated vehicles, instead of diesel or petrol operated vehicles,to reduce noise pollution.

9. 10 per cent of the revenue generated from pilgrim centres located in tigerreserves, should be spent for to develop local communities via Gram Sabha.

10. All tour guides and drivers shall compulsorily go through a short course inrules and regulations of tiger-reserves, followed by an oral examination. Onlyafter passing the exam, they’ll be allowed to conduct tours.

11. All certified guides and drivers shall wear special uniforms with name tags andbadges.

12. Prior to every tourist season, certified guides and drivers shall go through arefresher course or workshop.

13. The use of wood as fuel shall be prohibited, except for campfires14. All tourist facilities, old and new- must be environment friendly.

1. Have low height2. Shall aim to generate at least 50 % of their total energy and fuel

requirements from alternate energy sources (solar and biogas)3. Waste recycling, water management,4. Natural cross-ventilation (to reduce the need for AC),5. No use of asbestos,6. Discharge of only treated sewage,7. No air pollution,8. Minimal outdoor lighting outside the building9. They should merging with the surrounding landscape, via right

combination of wall colors and aesthetic architecture.

Now, Union Government filed an affidavit in the Supreme court and said “Pleasesee this list of guidelines framed by NTCA. We’ll make sure that tourism doesn’tharm the tigers. Now please lift the ban.”

October 2012: UPSC asks the question

UPSC Conducts Civil Service (Mains) General Studies Exam, and asks followingquestion.

Q. The issue of tourism in core areas of tiger reserve forests in the country is asubject matter of debate. Critically examine various aspects of this issue, keeping inview relevant recent judicial pronouncements. (250 words, 25 marks)

http://mrunal.org/2012/10/analysis-general-studies-mains-2012-paper-1-2-topicwise-analysis-future-approach-for-upsc-ias-ips-exam.html



October 2012: SC Lifts the Ban

Supreme Court considers the plea of Government and passes judgment: okwell very, since you’ve framed the new guidelines, We lift the ban.but from now onwards, all the tourism activities must be regulated in verystrict manner. And We also direct the state governments to prepare their tigerconservation plan within in six months and submit it to the National TigerConservation Authority (NTCA) for approval.

Conclusion

In last century, there were more than 40,000 tigers in India, now barely 1700left.Tiger protection is not the job of Forest Department alone. It requirescoordination between and stakeholders, including the departments forestry,agriculture, social welfare, tourism, fisheries, tea -coffee estates, road andrail transport, mining, thermal power plants, irrigation projects, temples, touroperators, tourists, Gram Sabha, local villagers.Unless each and every one of them is sensitized about the issue, tiger may notsurvive to see the next century.

Roleplaying question for interview.

Suppose you’re the administrator of a tiger reserve. Give us a list of essential menand material requirements to run the organization.

1. Police/forest guards/ex- army personnel, with wireless handsets, weapons,ammunition, and handcuffs for apprehending offenders.

2. Compass, range finder, Global Positioning System (GPS), camera traps, radiocollars, binoculars and night vision goggles., to petrol the jungle and keep aneye on tigers.

3. Kerosene, tent, medicine, field kit, mosquito net, torch etc.4. Vehicles (Gypsy, Jeep, Truck, Tractor, boats) to ferry the men and injured

animals.5. elephants (for patrolling in core areas- because jeeps would disturb the tigers)6. Money to Rewards the informers about poaching and tree cutting.7. Tranquilizer guns, cages in case there is need to capture a man eater

tiger/leopard or in case they attack on nearby villages.8. A 24/7 Veterinary doctor to deal with injured animals.9. Residential accommodation for the family and children of frontline staff

(forest guards, doctors etc. in nearby towns or villages)

Cheetah

A side note for for GK

Ministry of Environment and Forests has decided to take up reint roduction ofcheetah in the States of Rajasthan (Shahgarh area) and Madhya Pradesh



(Kuno- Palpur and Noradehi Wildlife Sanctuaries).The said States would receive 100 % support towards village relocation.

Appendix 1: List of 41 tiger reserves in India

It may not be possible to memorize the whole list, but atleast for the interview andState PSC exam, mugup the names of reserves in your state and in the surroundingstates.

Here is the Statewise Alphabetical list.

Name State

Kawal Andhra Pradesh

Nagarjunsagar Andhra Pradesh

Namdapha Arunachal Pradesh

Pakke Arunachal Pradesh

Manas Assam

Nameri Assam

Kaziranga Assam

Valmiki Bihar

Achanakmar Chattisgarh

Udanti-Sitanadi Chattisgarh

Indravati Chhattisgarh

Palamau Jharkhand

Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Karnataka

Bandipur Karnataka

Bhadra Karnataka

Dandeli-Anshi Karnataka

Nagarahole Karnataka

Periyar Kerala

Parambikulam Kerala

Kanha Madhya Pradesh

Pench Madhya Pradesh

Bandhavgarh Madhya Pradesh

Panna Madhya Pradesh

Satpura Madhya Pradesh

Sanjay-Dubri Madhya Pradesh

Sahyadri Maharashtra

Melghat Maharashtra

Tadoba-Andhari Maharashtra

Pench Maharashtra



Dampa Mizoram

Similipal Odisha

Satkosia Odisha

Ranthambore Rajasthan

Sariska Rajasthan

Anamalai Tamil Nadu

Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tamil Nadu

Mudumalai Tamil Nadu

Dudhwa Uttar Pradesh

Corbett Uttarakhand

Sunderbans West Bengal

Buxa West Bengal

New Tiger reserves

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has granted approval forcreation of 5 new tiger reserves viz

1. Pilibhit –UP2. Ratapani –MP3. Sunabeda –Odisha4. Mukundara Hills –Raj.5. Satyamangalm TN

And, Final approval has also been accorded to Kudremukh (Karnataka) for declaringas a tiger reserve.

NTCA has also requested the State Governments, to file proposals to create Tigerreserves in following areas.

1. Bor (Maharashtra),2. Suhelwa (Uttar Pradesh),3. Nagzira-Navegaon (Maharashtra)4. Gu ru Ghasidas National Park (Chhattisgarh)5. Mhadei Sanctuary (Goa)6. Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel / Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuaries /

Varushanadu Valley (Tamil Nadu).

Appendix 2: Maps of Tiger Reserves in India



Click To Enlarge

proposed Tiger Reserves in India (click to Enlarge)

For more articles on Biodiversity and Environment, Visit www.mrunal.org/enb

http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UmbrIRB4H6E/UH5v2C1aLLI/AAAAAAAAAcs/asvb3rI6pSQ/s0/enb-Map%252520of%252520all%252520tiger%252520reserves%252520in%252520India.gif

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Posted By On 17/10/2012 @ 14:28 In the category biodiversity

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