Aligning religious tourism with ecology, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• Rising visitor numbers and commercialization of pilgrimage routes are placing unprecedented pressure on India's forest ecosystems.
• The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL) deliberated on religious structures inside sanctuaries, focusing on a proposal to expand a religious establishment in a Gujarat sanctuary.
• The Environment Minister suggested formulating a Standard Operating Procedure for proposals involving religious institutions within forests.
• The Forest Rights Act, 2006 mandates recognition of rights of Scheduled Tribes and traditional forest dwellers before any diversion or regulation affecting their access or practices.
• ATREE and WWF published guidelines in 2023 on religious tourism within tiger reserves, recommending a green pilgrimage model.

Detailed Insights:

• India's religious geography is intertwined with its ecological landscape, with sacred groves and pilgrimage routes often located in ecologically sensitive habitats.
• Belief systems traditionally regulated access and behavior, enabling coexistence with nature, but mass tourism now strains fragile ecosystems.
• Under India’s legal framework, construction on forest land after 1980 is treated as encroachment under the Forest (Conservation) Act.
• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and National Tiger Conservation Authority norms permit limited interventions to manage pressures or mitigate ecological conflict.
• Conservation efforts must consider cultural and social contexts, recognizing that sacred natural sites are often stewarded by local communities.
• A blanket ban on religious activity inside forests is neither constitutionally defensible nor culturally sensitive, necessitating a balanced approach.
• The green pilgrimage model recommends no new constructions in core forest areas but allows recognition of long-standing sites predating protected areas, subject to impact-based regulation.
• Effective governance involves multi-stakeholder mechanisms including forest departments, temple authorities, local governments, communities, and conservation organizations.
• Implementing measures like restricting private vehicles, managing waste through temple trusts, and engaging religious leaders can reduce environmental impact.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Sacred Groves: Patches of forests or natural vegetation protected by local communities due to religious beliefs.
• Forest Rights Act, 2006: Indian legislation that recognizes the rights of Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources and land.
• Green Pilgrimage: A model of religious tourism that emphasizes environmental sustainability and minimizes negative impacts on ecosystems.