NGT bans PM Modi’s Dream Pakhro Tiger Safari project in Uttarakhand

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has put a stay on the project in connection with the felling of six and a half thousand trees in the Pakhro Tiger Safari project in Corbett National Park. The Uttarakhand government had announced the Pakhro Tiger Safari project after PM Narendra Modi visited Corbett Park in 2019. The NGT, while hearing the matter on October 21, ordered the formation of a three-member committee at the DG level. The committee will conduct a detailed inquiry into the violation of forest and environment rules in Corbett. The committee will submit its report in two months. No work has been ordered on this project till this period. NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh ​​Kumar Goel, Justice Sudhir Agrawal and Expert Member Prof. A Senthil Well has asked the Center and the Uttarakhand government to stop working on this project for the time being. Along with this, he has also been asked to give an explanation in a month. The concerned departments have been asked to submit the report related to the special recommendation within a month.

This report has been asked to be submitted to the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment and Climate Change. Allegations made in the previous BJP government: Harak Singh Rawat, the then Forest Minister in the BJP government, was accused of getting contractors to work without tender in the Corbett buffer zone. The investigation was done by the Forest Survey of India and in the first week of October 2022, the 81-page report was submitted to the government. Vigilance had also investigated the disturbances done for the construction of Tiger Safari in Pakhro area. The then DFO of Kalagarh Tiger Reserve, Kishan Chand and the then Chief Wildlife Warden JS Suhag were suspended after the wrongdoing was confirmed in this case. Apart from this, the then director Rahul was attached to the forest headquarters.

PM Modi’s dream project

The Uttarakhand government had announced the Pakhro Tiger Safari project after PM Narendra Modi visited Corbett Park in 2019. It was called the dream project of PM Modi. Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal had complained to the National Tiger Conservation Authority about the cutting of trees in the buffer zone of Corbett. After this, the FSI investigated the matter in Corbett. In his report, more than six thousand trees had been said to be cut. About 20 days ago, the FSI had submitted a report to the state government regarding the felling of more than 6 thousand trees in 16.21 hectares. At that time PCCF Vinod Singhal had pointed out technical flaws in the report.

Central government committee will investigate

Chief Wildlife Warden Dr. Sameer Sinha told that the NGT had taken suo motu cognizance in the matter. In this, the officers of FSI and Forest Department were called. At the same time, the department had returned the FSI report citing a technical problem. Further action will be taken based on the report again. At the same time, the work is already closed. After the hearing, the NGT has now directed the Central Government to form a committee for investigation.