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By PTI - UDHAGAMANDALAM
02nd January 2013 02:33 PM
Drawing the ire of green activists, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has reportedly stayed and celebrated New Year in a private resort, declared "illegal" and directed to be closed by court, in the Bokkapuram forest area coming under the elephant corridor.
The Madras High Court had directed many of the resorts in the region to be closed as they were located in the elephant corridor, following which the electric fencing was removed from area, some months back. However, the owners have approached the Supreme Court, where the case is pending.
The State Revenue department had arranged for Khurshid and his family's stay at the State VIP Guest House in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve as part of protocol but he preferred to stay at the resort "which was declared illegal and directed to be closed," by the Court, forest department sources said.
Environmentalists and green movement activists, including K Mohanraj, coordinator, Tamil Nadu Green Movement, condemned the stay, contending that it was violation of Forest Act and also Contempt of Court.
The resort, said to be owned by a relative of Khurshid, comes under Sigur Plateau, which has been notified as elephant corridor and "still a disputed and controversial site," Mohanraj said.
Meanwhile, Khurshid and the family after celebrating the new year, proceeded to a private guest house at Gudalur, about 70 km from here last night, sources said, adding, he later left for Bandipur in Karnataka.
The forest department had banned new year celebrations and bursting of crackers inside the area since the last 10 days, the sources said.
Copyright © 2012 The New Indian Express. All rights reserved.
Comments(3)
The FACT of the matter is : 1. The High Court deemed these resorts illegal, the resort owners approached Supreme Court and secured a stay order in July 2011. Since then, the stay has been in effect and all these resorts have been functioning legally, paying all relevant taxes and hold valid licenses issued to them by the Government of Tamilnadu. Hence until the Supreme Court hears the case and makes its final judgment the legality of these resorts cannot be questioned. Moreover the private resorts have never been shut and have been in operation through the entire proceeding of this case (High Court and Supreme Court). Prominent people from all over the world and the country including Supreme Court and High Court Judges have come and continue to come and stay at these resorts. So whats so special about Mr Kurshids visit ? What have these ‘green’ activists being doing over the past two years ? is Mr Kurshid the only legitimate citizen of India who deserves this scrutiny from the media ?
Posted by THE OBSERVER at 01/26/2013 18:19 Reply to this Report abuse
2. The Kargudi Guest House ( which the 'green' activist / news article opined that “By opting to stay in the Kargudi guesthouse, the Minister would have sent the right and encouraging signal”) is situated in the core area of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The ‘Core area’, as per the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (amendment 2006) must be an inviolate space. A plain reading of this makes the Kargudi Guest House ‘illegal’. Why hasn’t the press or any NGO taken this view, a view which in environmental priority is far more significant than a private resort in an alleged elephant corridor that is situated on private lands? How is the Kargudi guest house deemed legal while the private resorts located outside the forests deemed illegal ?
Posted by THE OBSERVER at 01/26/2013 18:21 Reply to this Report abuse
3. Recently the Supreme Court came down hard on State Governments for allowing tourism in ‘core areas’ and ‘banned’ tourism in the core areas which resulted in ‘all’ tourism facilities located in the core areas of Tiger Reserves across India to close their shutters, this included the Kargudi Guest House. However considering the location of these private resorts where the minister stayed, (which are situated outside the core area of the MTR) they continued to be open and carried on legal business. Recently fresh guidelines were submitted by the NTCA in the Supreme Court, which apart from other things also stated that all tourism facilities located in core areas must be phased out over a period of time. Based on this the state of Tamilnadu re opened their guest houses in the core areas of Tiger Reserves which included Kargudi Guest House. This case is still pending before the Supreme Court and has not been disposed of making the case of tourism in the core area sub judice.
Posted by THE OBSERVER at 01/26/2013 18:23 Reply to this Report abuse