Supreme Court directs Uttarakhand to repair damage to Corbett Tiger Reserve, demolish illegal structures

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the State of Uttarakhand to restore and repair the ecological damage caused to Corbett Tiger Reserve by construction activities and illegal tree felling.

The bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai, Justice Vinod Chandran and Justice NV Anjaria ordered the Chief Wildlife Warden to ensure demolition of all unauthorized structures in the tiger reserve within three months.

The Court asked the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to supervise the ecological restoration plan developed by Uttarakhand.

"State of Uttarakhand is directed to restore and repair the ecological damage caused to the Corbett Tiger Reserve," it directed.

With regard to Tiger safari in the tiger reserve, the Court issued guidelines and stated that activity has to be in consonance with the 2019 rules of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). It ordered setting up of rescue centers and regulation of the number of vehicles.

The Court further said that only eco-tourism be allowed inside the tiger reserve and directed that a tiger conservation plan be prepared within three months.

The Court stated that there should be no outsourcing of staff functions. It also suggested awarding medals to staff members as an incentive.

"We have issued guidelines to avoid human animal conflict. We have directed the States to take stakeholders on board. We have also issued directions concerning religious tourism in the area," CJI Gavai said, while pronouncing the verdict.

In March 2024, the Court had said that Tiger Safari can be permitted in the buffer zone of Jim Corbett National Park but not in its core area.

In that judgment, the Court had pulled up former Uttarakhand Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat and Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Kishan Chand for destroying the National Park.

The Court had further stated that the illegal tree felling that had taken place in the park could not be ignored.

Further, the Court in that judgment had ordered the constitution of a committee to restore the damages and quantify costs of restoration.

The verdict came in a case regarding permissions for the planned Pakhro Tiger Safari project at the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.

It had then kept the matter pending to be heard further on the restoration of the reserve before delivering its verdict today.