TBM Staff - Mumbai
According to the search results, the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) monitoring committee of the Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary has directed the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) to demolish a luxury hotel owned by Kanha Hotels and Spa Private Ltd, managed by Taj Amer, for illegally occupying land within the Nahargarh ESZ. This directive follows the decision of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) standing committee, which refused to grant wildlife clearance to the hotel project during a meeting on February 22, 2024.
The ESZ monitoring committee unanimously decided that the JDA should take action to remove the new hotel construction, as it was built in violation of the ESZ notification, which prohibits new commercial hotels and resorts within one kilometer of the boundary of the protected area. The Deputy Conservator of Forest Jagdish Gupta confirmed that the ESZ committee asked the JDA to raze the building after the NBWL standing committee denied clearance for the project.
However, the area director (operations) of Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL), Rajasthan, a Tata Group company, stated that they have not received any notification regarding the decision yet and that Taj Amer had obtained all necessary approvals from relevant government authorities. Green activist Rajendra Tiwari emphasised that according to the ESZ notification, no new commercial hotels and resorts can be permitted within one kilometer of the boundary of the protected area.
