The forest department has directed 15 resort and tourism operators to immediately halt all unauthorised construction activities within the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in Pandharkawda on the Vidarbha–Telangana border in Yavatmal district.
In notices issued on March 28, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) of the Pandharkawda Forest Division, Yashwant Bahale, also instructed the operators to suspend all commercial activities at the sites until the required permissions are obtained.
The area surrounding the sanctuary was officially declared an eco-sensitive zone by the Central Government on September 18, 2018. As per existing regulations, any construction or commercial activity within the ESZ requires prior approval from the designated authority.
Officials said the resort operators had undertaken construction without securing mandatory clearance from the District Level Monitoring Committee, chaired by the district collector.
The violations reportedly came to light after forest staff were restricted from accessing certain areas within the ESZ, prompting further scrutiny. Upon verification, authorities found that in some instances, permissions had been granted only for land beautification, not for construction. It was also observed that several resorts had already begun commercial operations in breach of environmental norms.
DCF Bahale warned that any failure to comply with the directives to stop construction and commercial activities would invite strict action under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act.
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