Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Tuesday took serious note of permission allegedly granted for a music festival inside the Pench tiger reserve, and ordered registration of a suo motu public interest litigation.The order was passed by a bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode after media reports highlighted that a Kolitmara Sangeet Mahotsav was scheduled to be held within the forest area of the tiger reserve. The bench observed the gravity of permitting such an event in a protected wildlife zone.
The development came at a time when human-wildlife conflict in the Pench region intensified over the past three years. Instead of prioritising preventive measures, authorities allegedly focused on boosting tourism activities in the reserve.About one year ago, adventure sports were introduced in Kolitmara area, followed by the launch of water-based recreational activities. The proposed music festival was the latest addition. Promotional material for the event circulated on Instagram, mentioning the Pench tiger reserve and another organisation as organisers.The advertisement video was reportedly shot in the forest department’s Zero Mile area and used the official logo of the tiger reserve. The event was planned along a riverbank in the middle of the forest and was to feature performances across genres, including Sufi, ghazal, pop and Indie Pop, according to promotional content. The reports raised questions about possible violations of wildlife protection norms and the appropriateness of holding a large musical gathering in a core forest zone. Taking cognisance, the court directed that a public interest petition be registered to examine the legality of the permissions granted. The matter was expected to come up for further hearing after notices were issued to the concerned authorities.
