No private vehicle safari rides from September 1

BANGALORE: With an increase in vehicular traffic inside forest areas, the Forest Department is planning to phase out vehicles of private resorts from eco-tourism zones falling under various protected areas from September 1.The department, which had earlier overlooked the Wilderness Tourism Policy of 2004, had granted permission to some private resorts to take their guests in their vehicles for a safari ride.But after the review meeting on the permission, which was against the State Wilderness Policy of 2004, held on July 18, the department banned the entry of private safari vehicles.The meeting was held among the officials of the State Board for Wildlife, the Principal Secretary, forest, ecology and environmental experts and resort representatives.Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) B K Singh said, “The tiger gets disturbed with the unregulated wildlife safaris.After the court made an observation that the state cannot adopt a pick and choose method in granting permission to vehicles of private resorts, we cancelled these permissions by passing an order with effect from September 1.” Eight private resort owners were issued notices and their licences have been cancelled by the forest departmentThe resorts are: M/S Wilderness Resorts Pvt Ltd, M/s Dhole’s Den, M/s Country Club India Pvt Ltd, M/s MC Resorts, M/s Karnataka Wildlife Resorts Pvt, M/s Raj Safari Private Ltd, M/s Orange County Resorts and Hotel and M/s Kabini Holiday Homes Pvt LtdNow with no private vehicle movement, Jungle Lodges and Resorts, a state government venture, is planning to deploy 20 more vehicles to accommodate the guests.