The Bengal forest department has directed commercial establishments within the confines of the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) to shut down immediately.

Sources said around 100 commercial establishments, including resorts, lodges and hotels, operated on the boundary of the tiger reserve in Alipurduar district.

“The National Green Tribunal’s eastern zonal bench in Calcutta had passed an order against running commercial establishments on the boundary of the BTR on May 20, 2022,” said a source.

Subash Dutta, an environmentalist, had filed a public interest litigation against the commercial establishments.

However, the aggrieved group obtained a stay against the NGT order from the Jalpaiguri circuit bench of Calcutta High Court on July 29, 2022.

“The circuit bench did not give an extension to the July 29, 2022, stay when it heard the case on December 4, 204. Hence, there is no stay and we have issued a notice directing all commercial establishments to close shop,” said a source in the forest department.

The BTR is spread over 762sqkm.

Many in the region whose livelihood depends on tourism are worried about
the development.

Partho Sarothi Roy, the president of the Dooars Tourism Welfare Society, said: “We strongly protest the process of issuing notice to the villagers by the forest department. We have decided to approach the higher court immediately.”

Debasish Sharma, the divisional forest officer, BTR, east, defended the department’s move. “We are doing everything according to law and nothing else.”

According to the notification of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), residents of the villages of Gangutia and Bhutia Basti in the BTR were recently relocated to Bon Chhaya, which is outside the BTR.

The move was part of an initiative to improve the habitat of the big cats.