The Supreme Court has banned tiger safaris inside the core zone of Jim Corbett National Park. It tightened its stance on violations and exposed years of illegal construction and large-scale tree felling in the reserve.
A bench led by Justice BR Gavai, with Justices PK Mishra and Sandeep Mehta, delivered the order.
The judges slammed the political, bureaucratic nexus responsible for degrading one of India’s most sensitive tiger habitats.
They noted that more than 6,000 trees were cut to facilitate unauthorised construction disguised as tourism development.
The Court allowed safaris only in buffer and peripheral zones, stressing that wildlife tourism must never damage protected ecosystems.
The judges called for an eco-centric conservation approach, warning that commercial interests cannot override environmental laws.
The case centres on serious allegations against former Uttarakhand Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat and former divisional forest officer Kishan Chand.
The Court said both officials ignored mandatory safeguards, permitted widespread tree felling, and oversaw illegal structures built solely for commercial benefit.
The Supreme Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a detailed status report within three months.
The CBI has already filed a chargesheet against eight officials, including then Corbett director Rahul and DFOs Akhilesh Tiwari and Kishan Chand.
The charges include criminal conspiracy, forgery, breach of trust, and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Investigators are also examining violations of the Forest Conservation Act and Wildlife Protection laws.
To restore the reserve’s ecological balance, the Court ordered the demolition of all illegal constructions inside the protected area.
It instructed the Uttarakhand government to prepare a Tiger Conservation Plan focused on habitat protection.
The plan will also strengthen wildlife corridors and reduce human-animal conflict.
The Court introduced stricter rules for forest administration and banned the outsourcing of forest operations in core areas.
It also mandated specialised staff training and sought stronger protection for frontline forest workers.
The judgment also addressed rising noise pollution around the reserve.
The Court restricted loud music from nearby resorts and asked authorities to implement safer, environmentally responsible measures for religious tourism around Corbett.
In its final observation, the Supreme Court adopted a tough but balanced approach.
It protected Corbett’s core tiger habitat while ensuring accountability for environmental damage.
The ruling aims to secure long-term ecological integrity through stricter enforcement, structural reforms, and a conservation-first policy.
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