New Delhi— The Supreme Court on Monday issued a series of strong directives to protect and restore the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, pulling up authorities for unchecked violations and illegal tree felling inside the protected forest.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India B. R. Gavai said the state must take concrete steps to compensate for the environmental damage caused. He stressed that tourism in ecologically sensitive zones must follow strict sustainability standards. “If tourism has to be promoted, it has to be eco-tourism,” the CJI remarked while calling for a complete shift toward responsible forest management.
The court also directed special consideration for staff working deep inside the core tiger habitat, noting that many live away from their families under challenging conditions. It said necessary support measures must be put in place to improve their working environment.
In a significant order, the top court instructed the chief wildlife warden to ensure that all unauthorised structures inside the reserve are demolished within three months. These include illegal constructions that expanded in violation of forest and wildlife protection norms.
The Supreme Court further asked the court-appointed panel to monitor the ecological restoration plan prepared by Uttarakhand, ensuring that corrective measures are implemented under expert supervision.
The directives come amid growing concerns about human interference, habitat degradation and declining biodiversity in one of India’s most famous tiger reserves.
