BENGALURU: An inquiry by the Forest Department has revealed that Trinity Jungle Resort is situated within the limits of Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in the Castle Rock Forest Range of Uttara Kannada district.
Following a report in Express on October 14 (Resort in Dandeli Ready to Open, Forest Department in Slumber), the Canara Forest Division initiated an inquiry and the director of Kali Tiger Reserve did a site inspection on October 17 and submitted a report.
He also took into consideration the earlier reports submitted by APCCF K N Murthy and the then director of Kali Tiger Reserve (in March and November 2015), where it is stated that there are no documents to prove the existence of the resort before the forest was declared a wildlife sanctuary.
As per the inquiry, Jatoyah Investments and Holdings Ltd, Mumbai, has constructed a tourism resort named Trinity Jungle Resort with 15 suites and modern amenities at Survey No. 83B in Anmod village of Uttara Kannada district. Anmod village is an enclosure within Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary where all commercial tourism activities are regulated as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. The resort owner has not obtained necessary permission from the Forest Department and the National Board for Wildlife to construct a commercial tourism resort inside the wildlife sanctuary, the inquiry report says.
The probe has also revealed that the present owner purchased the property in October 2012 in an auction and built a resort after availing permission from the Akheti gram panchayat, the Tourism Department and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). The owner applied for an NoC from the PCCF in 2013 and for permanent power connection to the Gram Panchayat in April 2014, citing the resort was nearing completion.
The inquiry report concludes, “As per Karnataka Wilderness Tourism policy, resorts will not be permitted inside national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and their enclosures. Further, as per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, Chapter IV, Section 33 after Clause (a), no construction of commercial tourist lodges, hotels, zoos and safari parks can be undertaken within a sanctuary except with prior approval of the National Board for Wildlife. In this background, action should be initiated so that these rules are not violated and protective measures are ensured for Kali Tiger Reserve.”