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ESZ committee directs demolition of property in sanctuary
Real Estate

ESZ committee directs demolition of property in sanctuary

The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has been instructed by the Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary's eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) monitoring committee to demolish a Kanha Hotels and Spa Private Ltd. building that is owned and operated by Taj Amer for illegitimately occupying ESZ land. The National Board for Wildlife's (NBWL) standing committee's refusal to provide the hotel project wildlife clearance during a meeting on February 22 of this year led to the decision. The hotel structure was built a few years ago; however, it didn't open until 2023. The minutes of the meeting, dated June 24, stated that the Chairman discussed the compliance of the decision of the 78th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife, held on February 22, 2024, with the members of the Monitoring Committee. It was unanimously decided that the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) would be responsible for executing the said decision. It was further decided that JDA should take action to remove or demolish the new construction (hotel) that Kanha Hotels and Spa Pvt. Ltd. had built in the ESZ. It was also decided that a copy of the decision would be sent to JDA, Jaipur, for compliance by the NBWL. The state forest department had previously forwarded the proposal for constructing the project of Kanha Hotels and Spa Pvt Ltd over an area of 0.0845 hectares at khasra nos. 54, 55, and 56 of Chimanpura village, Amer Tehsil. The luxury hotel, leased to Taj Group and located 95 metres from the boundary of Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary, had been discussed in light of the standing committee's decision to deny project clearance. Consequently, the ESZ committee had recommended that JDA be tasked with demolishing the building, as conveyed by Deputy Conservator of Forest Jagish Gupta. According to the area director (operations) of Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL), Rajasthan, a Tata Group company, speaking to TOI, they had not yet received any notification regarding the decision. He mentioned that Taj Amer had obtained all necessary approvals from relevant government authorities. Green activist Rajendra Tiwari, who raised the issue, emphasised that as per the ESZ notification, no new commercial hotels and resorts could be permitted within one kilometre of the boundary of the protected area, up to the extent of ESZ, except for small temporary structures for eco-tourism activities. He stated, "The state government should demolish the hotel and set a precedent. The owner constructed the hotel within the ESZ without first obtaining wildlife clearance from the NBWL and subsequently proposed its regularisation and approval."

The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has been instructed by the Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary's eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) monitoring committee to demolish a Kanha Hotels and Spa Private Ltd. building that is owned and operated by Taj Amer for illegitimately occupying ESZ land. The National Board for Wildlife's (NBWL) standing committee's refusal to provide the hotel project wildlife clearance during a meeting on February 22 of this year led to the decision. The hotel structure was built a few years ago; however, it didn't open until 2023. The minutes of the meeting, dated June 24, stated that the Chairman discussed the compliance of the decision of the 78th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife, held on February 22, 2024, with the members of the Monitoring Committee. It was unanimously decided that the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) would be responsible for executing the said decision. It was further decided that JDA should take action to remove or demolish the new construction (hotel) that Kanha Hotels and Spa Pvt. Ltd. had built in the ESZ. It was also decided that a copy of the decision would be sent to JDA, Jaipur, for compliance by the NBWL. The state forest department had previously forwarded the proposal for constructing the project of Kanha Hotels and Spa Pvt Ltd over an area of 0.0845 hectares at khasra nos. 54, 55, and 56 of Chimanpura village, Amer Tehsil. The luxury hotel, leased to Taj Group and located 95 metres from the boundary of Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary, had been discussed in light of the standing committee's decision to deny project clearance. Consequently, the ESZ committee had recommended that JDA be tasked with demolishing the building, as conveyed by Deputy Conservator of Forest Jagish Gupta. According to the area director (operations) of Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL), Rajasthan, a Tata Group company, speaking to TOI, they had not yet received any notification regarding the decision. He mentioned that Taj Amer had obtained all necessary approvals from relevant government authorities. Green activist Rajendra Tiwari, who raised the issue, emphasised that as per the ESZ notification, no new commercial hotels and resorts could be permitted within one kilometre of the boundary of the protected area, up to the extent of ESZ, except for small temporary structures for eco-tourism activities. He stated, The state government should demolish the hotel and set a precedent. The owner constructed the hotel within the ESZ without first obtaining wildlife clearance from the NBWL and subsequently proposed its regularisation and approval.

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