Nagpur: In a stern and strongly worded intervention, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has taken serious exception to the permission granted for organising a music festival inside the forest area of Pench Tiger Reserve, a protected wildlife habitat. Viewing the matter with grave concern, the court has ordered the registration of a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to scrutinise the legality and propriety of allowing such an event within an ecologically sensitive zone.
The issue came under judicial scrutiny after reports surfaced about the proposed ‘Kolitmara Music Festival’, scheduled to be held on Saturday inside the reserve’s forest area. Environmentalists and concerned citizens have sharply criticised the move, warning that entertainment events in the core forest landscape could disturb wildlife and undermine conservation efforts.
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The development assumes significance as villages surrounding Pench Tiger Reserve have witnessed a rising number of human-wildlife conflict incidents in recent years, heightening concerns over the fragile balance between human activity and wildlife protection. Despite these concerns, authorities have allegedly continued to push tourism-oriented initiatives in the reserve.
Around a year ago, adventure sports activities were introduced in the Kolitmara area, followed later by the launch of water sports, triggering criticism from conservation groups who argue that such ventures compromise the sanctity of the protected forest ecosystem.
The latest controversy erupted after promotional material for the Kolitmara Music Festival began circulating widely on the social media platform Instagram. Advertisements claim that the event is being organised in association with the authorities of Pench Tiger Reserve along with a private organisation.
The promotional video, reportedly shot in the Zero Mile area of the Forest Department, prominently features the official logo of the tiger reserve. According to the advertisements, the festival will feature performances by multiple artists presenting diverse musical genres including Sufi, Ghazal, Pop and Indipop.
What has raised the most serious alarm is the proposed venue of the event, the banks of a river inside the forest area, an ecologically sensitive habitat that serves as a lifeline for wildlife. Environmental activists argue that loud music, large crowds, lighting and vehicular movement could severely disturb animals and damage the fragile ecosystem.
Taking cognisance of the matter after media reports highlighted the issue, a division bench comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Rajesh Wakode directed that a suo motu PIL be registered to examine the legality of granting permission for such an event in a protected forest area.
The court is expected to take up the matter for further hearing soon, a move that could have significant implications for tourism activities and commercial events within wildlife reserves. Conservationists hope the judicial scrutiny will ensure that ecological sanctity and wildlife protection are not sacrificed at the altar of entertainment and commercial interests.
