High Court issues guidelines for Ranathambore National Park

Jaipur, May 25 (UNI) Rajasthan High Court today issued a 21 point guidelines for the management of the Ranathambore National Park.

Justice Ashok Parihar issued the guidelines on a petition filed by Giriraj Goyal and others.

The court observed that the mismanagement was the major reason for the depletion of wildlife and tigers in the world famous Ranathambore sanctuary.

It said the funds under various projects like Project Tiger, funds from the Central government and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) were not fruitfully utilised and were being seen by the corrupt officials as a milking cow.

The court's 18 page guidelines include setting up of a special court for the trial of cases under Wildlife Protection Act, and making Chief Wildlife conservator, Deputy Wildlife conservator, Wildlife Warden and Deputy zonal Director directly responsible for poaching and other illegal activity in the sanctuary.

The Court asked the implementation of the Khumud Committe report, installation of a CNG pump near the sancturay area to reduce pollution, restricting the number of passengers in a vehicle to 20 including the driver, closure of the gates of hotels and resorts towards the sancturay with immediate effect, construction of a 6 foot high boundary wall with fencing around the sanctuary and opening of separate bank accounts to keep the revenue from the sanctuary.

UNI