Seize and attach illegal properties and constructions in Ranthambore: Rajasthan High Court

Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has directed the forest authorities to seize and attach illegal properties and constructions in the critical tiger habitat and forest area in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Sawai Madhopur district.

The high court also instructed the police and district administration to cooperate with the forest officials and directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to supervise the matter.

Hearing a criminal miscellaneous petition, the court of Justice Sameer Jain on Tuesday expressed concern over the ongoing construction and encroachment in the critical tiger habitat in Ranthambore.

Ajay Pratap Singh, the counsel for the petitioner, on Wednesday said the court has directed the police authorities to render absolute cooperation to the officiating forest authorities. He said that the court made it clear that any sort of non cooperation on part of the police authorities should be brought before its notice.

He said that illegal constructions were going on in the critical tiger habitat, which are of commercial nature.

Singh submitted that multiple construction activities, including guest house, are being carried out in the critical tiger zone in Ranthambore which is a threat to the flora and fauna, and should be stopped with immediate effect and fair investigation has to be done.

The court interacted through VC with the chief conservator of forest Ranthambore, Additional Superintendent of Police Sawai Madhopur and ADM Sawai Madhopur.

"The officer has submitted that the ongoing encroachments and illegal constructions are carried out in the critical zone of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, which is an explicitly prohibited area and even falls under the definition of 'forest'," the court order said.

"The concerned officers have further appraised the court with the fact that the Forest Department/ concerned officers are taking action as per the due procedure of law, nonetheless, due to lack of cooperation and assistance from the administration and police authorities, on account of the wild scale protest by people, appropriate measures are not efficaciously taken," the order said.

The case will be next heard on October 17.

Ranthambore, one of the biggest and most renowned national parks in northern India, is home to over 70 big cats.

The total area of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve is 1700.22 sq. km, out of which 1113.364 sq. km has been notified as the Critical Tiger Habitat and 297.92 sq. km area has been notified as the Buffer area.