The Supreme Court today ordered that forest rest houses or inspection bungalows cannot be transferred to private or commercial entities in the name of public private partnership (PPP) for promotion of any form of tourism.
A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta accepted the guidelines framed in this regard by a Central Empowered Committee (CEC) for control and maintenance of forest rest houses or inspection bungalows located inside the forests.
"The forest department should make every effort to retain the basic plan and elevation of old FRHs (forest rest houses)/IBs (inspection bungalows), many of which are heritage buildings, while making improvement/addition to these buildings," the guidelines, approved by the top court, said.
The guidelines said that forest officers were required to camp inside forests where no alternate accommodation is available and forest rest houses were the facilities created for their camping so that they can discharge their duties connected with conservation, protection and management of forests and wildlife.
"These rest houses have very limited number of rooms. Therefore, the control of forest rest houses, including their reservation, shall under all circumstances remain with the forest department," the guidelines said.
It said district administration might, in special circumstances and for a limited period, be granted priority reservation of rooms in these forest rest houses for specific purposes, but at no circumstances, the control of these houses inside the forests be taken over by them.
"Forest rest houses/inspection bungalows located within the forest area including the protected areas shall not be transferred to private and commercial entities in the name of publicprivate partnership or by whatever name such an arrangement is called, for promotion of any form of tourism including eco-tourism," it said.
The bench noted in its order that these guidelines were framed after consultations between the Centre, CEC and petitioner and were acceptable to all concerned.
"We expect these guidelines to prevent the misuse of forest rest houses/inspection bungalows, particularly since they have the approval of the Union of India as well. Accordingly, we accept the guidelines and make them an order of this court," the bench said.
It directed the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to circulate a copy of its order to principal chief conservator of forests of all the states and ensure that they abide by these guidelines.
The apex court's order came on an application which had claimed that forest rest houses or inspection bungalows located inside the forests were being misused.
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