Citizens' body to move SC over tiger tourism ban

JORHAT: The Kaziranga Suraksha Samiti, an organization of people residing near the national park, has decided to appeal in the Supreme Court to spare Kaziranga from the recent ban on tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves across the country.
The forum, along with All Assam Students' Union, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, Kaziranga Jeep Safari Santha and Kaziranga Bazzar Samiti, will file the appeal in the apex court before August 22.Representatives of these organizations also met chief minister Tarun Gogoi in Guwahati on Monday and sought his intervention in the matter.
Khanjan Nath, president of the citizens' body, said, "After witnessing some steps from various organizations and individuals from other states against the SC verdict to ban tourism in core areas of tiger reserves, we met the chief minister in Guwahati and requested him to take steps. We want the Assam government to intervene in the matter and take steps to exclude Kaziranga from the ban order. But the CM didn't seem interested enough to do something from his part. So, we have decided to go to Supreme Court before the apex court passed the order finally.''
He added, "We opposed the government's move to include some fringe areas of the national park where thousands of people belonging to the Mishing tribes are residing. We also demanded to the government to hold a public hearing before finalize the core area of tiger reserve in Kaziranga. But, it has not been addressed so far.''
Mohan Bora, another leader of the organization, said, "There is no violation of tiger conservation methods in Kaziranga and all are almost well here. So, we think, the Supreme Court may be pleased to exclude this park from implementation of it's order for the greater interest of the people living here.''
The Supreme Court imposed a countrywide ban on tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves. The apex court observed that the core area is considered a place where tigers live without human interference. But in various tiger reserves across the country, not just humans, vehicles are also allowed for revenue generation.