Rajasthan's environment and forests minister Bina Kak has written to National Advisory Council chairperson Sonia Gandhi asking that the Union government advocate the case for continuing tourism in tiger breeding areas in the ongoing litigation in Supreme Court.

At the same time, in another letter to the NAC chief, Kak sought over Rs 200 crore to remove 2,306 families to create inviolate space (free of human presence) for tigers of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. 

The twin missives to the NAC chairperson come at a time when the environment ministry has submitted guidelines to the Supreme Court recommending that tourism in the core of tiger reserves — especially where villagers and tribals have been displaced to create inviolate spaces — be removed within the next five years in keeping with the Wildlife Protection Act.

Ranthambore and Sariska tiger reserves in Rajasthan are two of the most prominent tiger-tourism sites in north India with some of the bigwigs of the eco-tourism industry operating here.