NGOs slam government move on forest guests

Nagpur: The state government’s decision to treat dignitaries and celebrities as forest guests has come in for sharp criticism from NGOs working in the field.
The state government on April 21, issued a GR stating that celebrities and VIPs be treated as ‘forest guests’ considering that their visit to national parks, sanctuaries and reserves inevitably helps to popularize the destinations.
The government believes that visits of personalities of repute at such tourists places will bring local communities closer to nature and thus will help in wildlife protection.
However, Satpuda Foundation (SF), a NGO working for wildlife protection in Central India, has slammed the decision. Kishor Rithe, president of SF, asks, “When there is heavy flow of tourists in parks of Maharashtra, why the need is being felt for forest guests.”
The so-called forest guests will get a red-carpet welcome while the expenses towards logistics, food and lodging will be borne by state forest department up to three days.
Rithe said locals living near the parks have played an important role in protecting them. Considering the importance of tigers, they also agreed to relocate.
“Today, locals are happy that tigers are bringing money to them by way of direct and indirect employment. However, spending tiger money, which is meant for development of communities is spent on forest guests, it would be unjustified,” said Rithe.
Rithe pointed out that Satpuda Foundation is organizing environment education camps for school students in the buffer zones of tiger reserves for the last 15 years, but the government never comes forward to share expenses of these students.
“We also organize medical camps for local villagers but government never bears expenses of food and lodging. If at all the state wants to name ‘forest guests’ than it should be the locals working to protect tigers and forests,” said Rithe.