Jaipur: Taking cognisance of a complaint lodged by Rajasthan’s Leader of Opposition, Tikaram Jully, against proposed changes in the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) boundaries in Sariska Tiger Reserve, the central empowered committee (CEC) formed by the Supreme Court held a meeting at its office in New Delhi Monday to hear Jully’s arguments.The committee’s member secretary, Bhanumati G, had invited Jully to the meeting with the necessary documents related to his complaint. The proposal for the “rationalisation” of Sariska’s boundaries has been prepared according to directives of the CEC and the Supreme Court. Jully had alleged that the Rajasthan govt ignored legal procedures and the proposal was designed to benefit the mining and hotel lobby.Jully strongly opposed the proposal to redefine boundaries of the CTH, describing it as an “injustice to the natural habitat and conservation of tigers”, and submitted a detailed representation to the CEC.Presenting his case to the CEC, Jully said that while he respected the SC, the state govt was altering the CTH in a calculated strategy to benefit certain individuals without giving affected parties a chance to be heard, thereby violating the SC’s guidelines.He stated that if this proposal is implemented, it will not only harm tiger conservation but also signal that the state govt is prioritising commercial interests over wildlife protection. Jully’s representation stated that a 3.7-sq km area in Sariska’s Tehla region, where tigress ST-27 gave birth to two cubs in May 2024, was being removed from CTH and included in the buffer zone. Jully accused the govt of violating promises made to the SC by reducing the CTH area.He mentioned that when only 492 sq km were protected in Sariska in 2004, tigers became extinct there, but after CTH area was added in 2007, tigers returned. He said that after Bhiwadi and Behror became separate districts, Sariska became the main tourist region of Alwar district. “However, the state govt is focusing on the mines area to benefit influential people, and large-scale corruption cannot be ruled out,” he stated. He said that despite elected representatives from Alwar being part of both Union and state govts, changes were being made to the CTH that would harm not only wildlife but also the surrounding villagers.
