Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve - Equitable Tourism Options
Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve - Equitable Tourism Options
Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve - Equitable Tourism Options
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When this failed the government decided to build guesthouses. The<br />
government was unable to run these guesthouses as well.<br />
With the issue of self-rule spearheaded by the National Front for Adivasi<br />
Self-Rule spreading in the Adivasi belts of the country in '95-'96, the<br />
campaign and· protests against the eco-development project in Nagarhole<br />
intensified from early 1996. While the impending agreement with the Bank<br />
for the eco-development project by mid-1996 threatened to hasten the<br />
displacement of Adivasis of Nagarhole, the commencement of the so called<br />
'renovation work' in the existing buildings at Murukal in August 1996 for the<br />
high bracket tourists exemplified the gross injustice in stark contrast. The<br />
Adivasis responded with protests against the Taj by blocking the<br />
construction. Taj was however determined to go ahead with the construction.<br />
The general guideline that forestland should not be alienated for non-forestry<br />
purposes under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 seems to have been<br />
given a go by. Discouraging the setting up of hotels, resorts and other<br />
industries inside and near National Parks and that too near the core zone has<br />
in this case also has been discarded. With Taj reviving the construction in<br />
end of December, the people resolved to prevent this. The authorities<br />
decided to back Taj .<br />
Legal interventions<br />
In November 1996, concerned NGOs and Adivasi organisation came<br />
together to file a petition in the Court against the Karnataka Forest<br />
Department and the Taj Group of Hotels. The following are list of petitioners<br />
and respondents ofthe case.<br />
Petitioners<br />
• Nagarhole Budakattu Hakku Sthapana Samithi- Represented by<br />
NagarholeAdivasi Haadi and Post, Coorg.<br />
• Adivasi Joint Action Committee Karnataka, represented by DEED,<br />
Mysore.<br />
• National Alliance for People's Movement, Bangalore.<br />
• Coorg Organisation for Rural Development (CORD), Kodagu District<br />
Respondents:<br />
• State of Karnataka<br />
Represented by Secretary, Department of Forest, Ecology and<br />
Nifogiris : Fading Glory 36