Heavy fine on SUV owners, for illegal entry into tiger reserve, know more
On Saturday, fourteen SUVs—comprising twelve Mahindra Thar and two Scorpio models—were reported to have illegally entered Zone 8 of Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district, a region where vehicle access is strictly prohibited. These vehicles, which came from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan, were participating in a private safari organized by a group called Adventure Tours on August 15.
The incident, which occurred in an ecologically sensitive area closed to the public during the monsoon season, raised significant concerns. A video showing the SUVs within the restricted zone, including one vehicle that got stuck, went viral on social media. This footage, captured by a local, prompted a swift response from the forest department.
Divisional Forest Officer Ramanand Bhakkar confirmed the illegal entry, stating, "We have seized the vehicles and are investigating further." The department has suspended two forest rangers suspected of facilitating the illegal entry.
The incident has sparked outrage as the park is closed to protect its delicate ecosystem during the monsoon. Rally driver Rattan Dhillon's social media posts further amplified the outcry. Under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, those found guilty of such violations face fines up to Rs 1 lakh. On Saturday, the forest department imposed a Rs 1 lakh penalty on each of the 14 SUV owners involved. While 12 vehicles were released after the fines were paid, the two vehicles owned by the organizers were confiscated.
Chief Wildlife Warden PK Upadhyay stated, "We released the vehicles from outside after imposing heavy penalties. The organizers' vehicles remain seized as their role is still under investigation." He noted that no illegal items were found in the released vehicles, such as wood or horns.
Green activist Tapeshwar Singh criticized the forest authorities for releasing the vehicles, arguing that such actions violate the Wildlife Protection Act, which mandates court trials for violations in core tiger reserve areas. However, DCF Ramanand Bhakkar defended the decision, asserting it was made according to the law.
Tiger tracker Abhishek Chaudhary highlighted the risk posed by the SUVs' presence in an area frequented by tigers, including T-2310 and T-2402. He noted that the presence of people could have led to dangerous encounters with these big cats.
The forest department had already suspended ranger Vishnu Gupta and guard Saresh Kumar for their roles in the incident. The area was closed from August 13-19 due to heavy rains and a recent fatality near Ganesh Mandir, which had led to a suspension of all tourism activities. The illegal entry of the SUVs was facilitated by the ranger and guard, despite the strict prohibition of private vehicles in the park.
Related Posts
More News:
- 1. CG News : युवती ने फांसी लगाकर दी जान, जानें क्यो उठाया खौफनाक कदम...
- 2. Chhattisgarh's Rice Needs Value Addition and Branding to Reach Global Markets: Union Minister Piyush Goyal
- 3. CG News : पति ने पत्नी को उतारा मौत के घाट, सुसाइड का रूप देने फंदा पर लटकाया, गिरफ्तार...
- 4. CG Police Transfer : एएसआई, प्रधान आरक्षक सहित 26 पुलिसकर्मियों का हुआ तबादला, देखें लिस्ट...
Leave a Comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Popular post
Latest post
You may also like
