Tigers in India’s oldest national park had been lately subjected to the noise made by party goers, and tourists staying in the vicinity of the park and playing loud music till late in the night. But after a high court directive, the state government has now imposed a strict ban on noise pollution in a 500 metre radius across the park.
Earlier, the issue was brought to focus by a local NGO the Ramnagar Himalayan Yuva Grameen Vikas Sansthan who appealed to Chief Justice Barin Ghosh and Justice U C Dhyani of the high court to impose the ban.
The organisation complaint against the growing number of events like marriage and late night parties organised around the Jim Corbett National Park that disrupted the peace of the forest. Loud amplification devices were the chief concern which agitated not only the tigers but other species living in the huge forest cover.
After the high court directive, the state has now banned high decibel noise within a perimeter of 500 metres around the park. This will affect mostly the resorts spouting across the park buffer zone.
Field director Ranjan Mishra said that the decision was taken under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. “As per directive, a blanket ban has been imposed on sound amplification. Only municipality areas are excluded from the prohibited zone.”
The NGO is now campaigning to take strict measures against resorts that are illegally encroaching forest areas.
