BHIMBANDH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY: TOURISM VS CONSERVATION

Why In News?

The Bihar government has floated a tender for an integrated tourism project worth approximately ₹62.87 crore inside Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary, raising concerns over statutory wildlife protection requirements.

What Is Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary?

• Location: It is situated in the Kharagpur Hills of Bihar, across Munger, Jamui and Lakhisarai districts.

• Geographical Setting: It lies south of the Ganga River, near the northern edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau.

• Area: The sanctuary covers approximately 682 sq. km.

• Natural Feature: It is famous for its natural hot springs, which form an important tourism attraction.

• Vegetation: It predominantly supports Northern Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests, with Sal as an important tree species.

• Major Flora:

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• Shorea robusta: Sal.

• Terminalia tomentosa: Asan.

• Adina cordifolia: Haldu.

• Syzygium cumini: Jamun.

• Aquatic Macrophytes: Aquatic plants that provide habitat and ecological support in water bodies.

• Major Fauna:

• Leopard

• Sloth Bear

• Striped Hyena

• Indian Wolf

• Large Indian Civet

• Barking Deer

What Legal Provisions Regulate Construction Inside Wildlife Sanctuaries?

Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

• Section 29: Restricts destruction, exploitation or removal of wildlife and forest produce from a sanctuary, subject to statutory exceptions and prescribed permissions.

• Section 33: Empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden to control, manage and maintain sanctuaries.

• Section 33A: Provides for measures to immunise livestock against communicable diseases in sanctuaries.

• Section 35: Provides the statutory framework for National Parks.

• National Board for Wildlife (NBWL): Under Section 5A, the Board advises the Central and State Governments on wildlife conservation and protected-area management.

Important Legal Restriction: The construction of commercial tourist lodges, including government lodges, hotels and safari parks inside wildlife sanctuaries requires prior approval of the National Board for Wildlife, under the applicable provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. 

Supreme Court Restrictions on Construction

• Supreme Court Order, February 2023: The Court restrained authorities from undertaking construction activities inside Tiger Reserves, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries until further orders.

• Subsequent Clarification: The Court later permitted certain maintenance works in Uttarakhand but cautioned against unnecessary construction.

• Legal Significance: Government ownership of land within a notified sanctuary does not automatically exempt construction from statutory wildlife protection requirements.  

What Are the Major Environmental and Governance Concerns?

Conflict Between Tourism Development and Wildlife Protection

Commercialisation of Protected Areas: Large hospitality projects can fragment habitats, disturb wildlife movement and increase human activity in ecologically sensitive areas.

• Example: The Bhimbandh tender proposes 104 cottages, 12 tree houses, a helipad and commercial facilities within the sanctuary boundary. 

Potential Violation of Statutory Requirements

Clearance-Related Concerns: Commercial tourist infrastructure inside a sanctuary requires applicable statutory approvals. A tender or government land ownership cannot substitute for wildlife clearances.

• Example: The February 2023 Supreme Court construction restrictions raise questions about proceeding with a large construction project inside a protected area.

Ambiguity in Institutional Accountability

Conflicting Clearance Responsibilities: The tender contains inconsistent provisions regarding responsibility for obtaining environmental and wildlife permissions.

• Example: Article 4.1.2(b) assigns certain permit responsibilities to Bihar Eco Tourism Development Society (BETDS), while Schedule E requires the private developer to obtain applicable environmental, forest and wildlife clearances at its own cost.  

Ecological Disturbance and Habitat Fragmentation

Infrastructure Pressure: Roads, accommodation facilities, lighting, noise and increased tourist movement can disturb sensitive wildlife and degrade forest habitats.

• Example: A proposed helipad, multi-storey accommodation and commercial facilities could increase noise, artificial lighting and human interference within the sanctuary.

Weaknesses in Environmental Impact Assessment

Cumulative Ecological Impact: Assessing individual structures separately may overlook the combined impact of tourism infrastructure across multiple locations.

• Example: The proposed development covers four locations: Bhimbandh, Belatand, Chormara and Bhatta Kol. Their combined effects on habitat connectivity, water resources and wildlife movement require assessment.

What Measures Can Ensure Sustainable Tourism in Wildlife Sanctuary?

Ensure Strict Compliance with Environmental Laws

• Prior Statutory Clearances: Obtain all applicable wildlife, forest and environmental approvals before commencing construction.

• Judicial Compliance: Ensure that project activities conform to the Supreme Court's directions on construction inside protected areas.

• Example: The National Board for Wildlife provides an institutional mechanism for examining proposals involving activities regulated within protected areas.

Adopt Low-Impact Ecotourism

• Nature-Based Tourism: Prioritise guided nature trails, interpretation centres, regulated visitor access and community-led tourism over large commercial accommodation complexes.

• Carrying Capacity Assessment: Determine the maximum number of visitors that the sanctuary can support without degrading its ecological integrity.

Strengthen Scientific Ecological Assessment

• Wildlife Impact Assessment: Conduct baseline surveys of wildlife populations, breeding habitats, movement corridors, vegetation and water resources.

• Cumulative Impact Assessment: Evaluate the combined environmental footprint of all four proposed tourism locations.

• Example: Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) provides a framework for evaluating the broader environmental implications of development plans rather than examining projects in isolation.

Promote Community-Based Conservation

• Local Participation: Involve forest-dependent communities in ecotourism planning, employment generation and conservation monitoring.

• Benefit Sharing: Direct a proportion of tourism revenue towards habitat restoration, local livelihoods and wildlife protection.

• Example: The Periyar Tiger Reserve's community-based ecotourism model links conservation activities with livelihood opportunities for local communities.

Establish Transparent Environmental Governance

• Independent Monitoring: Create an independent mechanism involving forest officials, ecologists and local representatives to monitor compliance.

• Public Disclosure: Publish clearance documents, environmental assessments, project maps and compliance reports to strengthen transparency and accountability.

Conclusion

Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary demonstrates the challenge of balancing tourism growth with statutory conservation rules. Ecological integrity and legal compliance must guide protected-area development.

Source: INDIANEXPRESS