apex court bans tourism in core areas of tiger reserves 

In a significant development. the supreme court of the  supreme court of india on july 24, 2012. banned in core areas of over 40 tiger reserves  in the  country.  As per the verdict, tourism will be allowed only in the buffer  areas spreadings up  to 10 km around the critical habitats.  

     the supreme court slammed the states of Adnhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, tamilnadu, bihar, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand for falling to have notified the buffer zones despite earlier directions to the effect.  These states had been asked in april, 2012 to notify buffer zones in their tiger reserves it may be mentioned here that under section 38(b) and explanation 1 & 2 of the wildlife protection act, 1972, the states have to notify the core and buffers areas of tiger reserves in their respective jurisdictions.

Under the act, buffer zones are the areas peripheral to the critical tiger habitats or core areas providing supple m entry habitats for tigers and affering scope for co- existence of human activity. these areas are crucial for the survival of tigers, of which approximately,  1,700 are presently left in the country.