BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the state government and sought its response on a public interest litigation filed against the recommendation of the technical committee to restart safari in tiger reserves.
A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha said the state has to file the affidavit indicating the zones earmarked for conducting safaris, particularly setting out whether zones have been earmarked and file a map of the area, as well as the zones in which the safaris are conducted. Directing to submit the details in two weeks, the court adjourned the hearing of the petition to July 7.
The petitioner, one V Ravikumar from Mysuru, has not only challenged the recommendation dated February 21 made by the technical committee, but also prayed the court to impose permanent ban on tiger safaris within the notified critical tiger habitats across the state, ensuring all such activities are moved to non-forest land in buffer areas as per the ruling of the apex court in the Godavarman case.
He also sought for a direction to conduct a judicial enquiry into the technical committee recommendation, which contradicts the mandate of the Supreme Court.
The petitioner pointed out that there was a spate of fatal attacks in October and November 2025 in Nagarhole and Bandipur tiger reserves, which created environmental tensions among the local farming community in the forest fringe villages. In the wake of these events, all safaris in the national park were banned. The State Board for Wildlife, allegedly under political pressure and lobby, set up a technical committee which recommended restarting the safari.
Based on the recommendation of the technical committee, safaris are now being permitted up to 50 percent capacity, the petitioner alleged.