Khurshid sojourn in jumbo corridor resort irks greens

In my honest opinion this is a very one sided article. The author has said the resort illegal and then said that the matter is pending in front of the Honourable Supreme Court. How is the illegal when the case is sub-judice then??? I have been part of many green movements and conservation programs and have never heard of TNGM.. Who are they? And isn't this Mr. Mohan Raj the same person involved with WWF?didn't he try catching a leopard with a tea net in the name of "convservation"? Mr. Mohan Raj, I have read, worked with HPF for around 20 years. HPF was one of the most polluting industries in its time. A person with this kind of background leading the TNGM makes me question the intent and motive behind the movement. I think this is slander and both Mr. Khurshid and the resort owners should take this reporter and Mr. Mohan raj to court for defamation.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS 1. The High Court deemed these resorts illegal, the resort owners approached Supreme Court and secured a stay order in July 2011. Since then, the stay has been in effect and all these resorts have been functioning legally, paying all relevant taxes and hold valid licenses issued to them by the Government of Tamilnadu. Hence until the Supreme Court hears the case and makes its final judgment the legality of these resorts cannot be questioned. Moreover the private resorts have never been shut and have been in operation through the entire proceeding of this case (High Court and Supreme Court). Prominent people from all over the world and the country have come and continue to come and stay at these resorts. So whats so special about Mr Kurshids visit ? What have these ‘green’ activists being doing over the past two years ? is Mr Kurshid the only legitimate citizen of India who deserves this scrutiny from the media ? What about the Supreme Court Judges, High Court Judges, other politicians from the central and state government who have come and stayed in similar ‘illegal’ resorts over the past 2 years ? why has the media and these ‘green’ activists overlooked their visits? Is there a hidden agenda, are there vested interests ? 2. The Kargudi Guest House ( which the 'green' activist / news article opined that “By opting to stay in the Kargudi guesthouse, the Minister would have sent the right and encouraging signal”) is situated in the core area of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The ‘Core area’, as per the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (amendment 2006) must be an inviolate space. A plain reading of this makes the Kargudi Guest House ‘illegal’. Why hasn’t the press or any NGO taken this view, a view which in environmental priority is far more significant than a private resort in an alleged elephant corridor that is situated on private lands? How is the Kargudi guest house deemed legal while the private resorts located outside the forests deemed illegal ? 3. Recently the Supreme Court came down hard on State Governments for allowing tourism in ‘core areas’ and ‘banned’ tourism in the core areas which resulted in ‘all’ tourism facilities located in the core areas of Tiger Reserves across India to close their shutters, this included the Kargudi Guest House. However considering the location of these private resorts where the minister stayed, (which are situated outside the core area of the MTR) they continued to be open and carried on legal business. Recently fresh guidelines were submitted by the NTCA in the Supreme Court, which apart from other things also stated that all tourism facilities located in core areas must be phased out over a period of time. Based on this the state of Tamilnadu re opened their guest houses in the core areas of Tiger Reserves which included Kargudi Guest House. This case is still pending before the Supreme Court and has not been disposed of making the case of tourism in the core area sub judice. A. How then can an article be prejudiced against the private resorts deeming them illegal while their case is pending before the Supreme court and at the same time the article deems the Kargudi Guest house as sacrosanct and legal while that case is also pending adjudication before the same Court ? More over while the wildlife Protection Act clearly advocates privately run eco tourism resorts in the buffer areas (where the private resorts are located) it is also clear that there should be NO tourism facility in the core areas (where the Kargudi Guest House is located) Such statements by activists (with implicit endorsement by the media) clearly show their disengagement from ground realities, and cast serious doubts as to their credentials, ethics and caliber to champion this important case. Such statement warrant an explanation and should not only be made by activists but should also not be published without some justification.