Jaipur: The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has rejected the proposal of construction of a hotel, which was planned to be constructed in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary (NWS). NWS in Rajasthan has been declared a protected area.
According to the minutes of the meeting of the committee, the cost of the construction of Kanha Hotels and Spa Pvt. Ltd was ₹80 crore and the state government of Rajasthan in August 2023 had recommended the proposal. The sanctuary houses several endangered species including striped hyena and jackal.
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“The project will involve construction of a hotel with 250 rooms, three restaurants having capacity of around 350 persons, bar for 70 persons, the banquet hall having an area of 20000 sq feet including pre function area, meeting rooms, conference room, kitchens, laundry and other services area with 180 car parking facilities. The total cost of the project is ₹80 crore,” the minutes of the meeting said.
The documents also stated that the proposal was recommended by the chief wildlife warden, the State Board for Wildlife and the state government. “No new commercial hotels and resorts shall be permitted within 1km of the boundary of the protected area or up to the extent of ESZ, whichever is nearer, except for small temporary structures for eco-tourism activities and new commercial construction of any kind shall not be permitted within 1 km from the boundary of the protected area or up to extent of the ESZ whichever is nearer. After discussion, the standing committee decided not to recommend the project proposal,” the committee said.
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The standing committee of the NBWL is chaired by the Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav.
Nahargarh wildlife sanctuary is located about 12 km from Jaipur on the Jaipur-Delhi highway. It encompasses a large area of 720 hectares and is situated under the Aravalli range. The sanctuary is famous for its vast flora and fauna, and its main aim is to conserve it.
