Wildlife and rights activist Ajay Dubey has sought the Prime Minister’s intervention for stopping construction works and illegal tiger safari in Bandhavgarh and Pench tiger reserves of the state.
Dubey urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a letter on Wednesday to immediately instruct the authorities concerned to stop the construction works carried out by Madhya Pradesh Eco Tourism Board (MPETB) without permission from competent authority on forest land and illegal safari in two tiger reserves of the state including Bandhavgarh and Pench Tiger Reserve. “Instruct the authority concerned to take action against the guilty under Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and Forest Conservation Act 1980, case should be registered against them, they should be arrested and further legal action should be taken against them,” Dubey said in his letter to the prime minister.
Dubey further said that due to the criminal negligence of forest department of MP and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife) construction works worth over rupees seventeen crore are going on in the name of developing eco tourism in two tiger reserves of the state by the MPETB that has not taken permission from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Central Zoo Authority as per Wildlife Protection Act 1972. MPETB has also not got permission for the said constructions under the Forest Conservation Act 1980 for the tiger safari and the construction works, he added.
He said that the member secretary of the NTCA Bishan Singh Bonal has also termed the tiger safari constructions inappropriate by writing letter in reference to Supreme Courts’ order dated November 27, 2011 and Wildlife Protection Act 1972 to the additional chief secretary of the forest department of Madhya Pradesh.
The wildlife activist said that despite complaints and letter by NTCA member secretary the forest department has neither stopped the illegal construction nor has any action been initiated against the guilty. Hence, it is requested from you that to save the democratic values, security of tigers, conservation of forests, to establish good governance and establish rule of law instruct the MP Government and Ministry of Environment and Forests to immediately take strict legal action and ensure that the guilty be arrested immediately.