Relocation of Buxa villagers begins
The Alipurduar district administration has started processing for relocation of two forest villages from the core area of Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR).
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has asked the State forest department to furnish a factual report on the operation of ecotourism projects within the Satkosia Tiger Reserve (STR).
Responding to petition moved by wildlife activist Biswajit Mohanty, NTCA has asked the Chief Wildlife Warden to submit the report on the unlawful promotion of tourism within the tiger “Some of the activities that are being promoted in the name of “eco tourism” in STR have enormous and deep lasting impacts on local wildlife and should have never been permitted inside any Tiger Reserve to attract tourists. The Supreme Court in a ruling has prohibited harmful and disturbing tourism inside Tiger Reserves”, Mohanty pointed out in the petition.
The motorized boat cruises inside the gorge, more than 20 tents are pitched on the river bed, a treetop canopy walk for tourists for bird watching were objected to by Mohanty.
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Satkosia, which is home to two tigers despite its rich tiger-friendly prey base and ecosystem, has hogged the spotlight for carrying out the country’s first tiger translocation programme.
The experiment of releasing male and female tigers as part of the interstate tiger translocation programme was done two years back to increase the big cats’ population. However it had failed to materialize.
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