ONGOLE: The Forest Department has issued orders prohibiting tourist travels into the core area of tiger reserve in the State from July 1 to September 30, 2023 as directed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), in view of the mating/breeding season of tigers.
Vignesh Appavu, Deputy Director of Markapur Project Tiger, Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR), said, “In tiger reserves, there are core area and buffer area. NSTR in the Nallamala forest is the only tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh. We are going to implement the three-month temporary ban on all tourist travels into the core area of NSTR strictly from July 1.”
Field level forest officials have made arrangements to stop the tourist travels and unauthorised venture of the public into the core area of the tiger reserve.
“We have deployed squads to check and stop the unauthorised venture of the public into the core areas of NSTR. The tourist travels into the Thummala Bayalu eco-tourism project, Ista Kameswari temple and Nekkanti jungle ride will remain closed up to September 30. If anyone is found to have entered the core area by violating the ban orders, cases will be booked under the Wildlife Conservation Act, 1972, AP Forest Act, 1967 and the Biodiversity Act, 2002,” said SV Subba Rao, Forest Range Officer.