AHMEDABAD:
After the Gujarat high court ordered the closure of illegal resorts and
hotels around Gir sanctuary, the state tourism department had legalized
them under its home stay policy. But the department has now said that
such permission to illegal resorts is 'not within the ambit of its home
stay policy'. Apparently, the department has left it to the high court
again to take action against these so-called home stay establishments.
Earlier this year, the Gujarat tourism department had allowed some 52
people to run home stay establishments. Under the home stay policy, many
of these persons ran resorts and hotels, which the Gujarat high court
had sealed.
When asked about permission granted to home stay
establishments in Sasan and its surrounding areas, the last adobe of
Asiatic lions, tourism minister Saurabh Patel said, "Gujarat government
has so far not allowed any hotel and resorts around the Gir forest to
run a home stay scheme. Those who have complaints about some hotels
running such schemes should approach the high court."
Gujarat
government had announced the 'incentives and guidelines policy for
registration of home stay establishments' on November 20, 2014.
Home-owners who, together with their family, inhabit the same premises
which must be their principal place of residence, were eligible for
registration. Only those residential houses which exist before May 31,
2014 will be eligible under this policy, which may be amended from time
to time in consultation with the forest and environment department, he
said.
In its article date June 17, 2015, "Gir hotels back as
home stay units," TOI had exposed how farm houses and guest houses
banned by the high court for functioning illegally were granted approval
as home stays by the tourism department without even consulting the
forest department.
Taking a serious view of encroachments on
the outskirts of Gir sanctuary, the Gujarat high court had asked the
forest department to seal all farmhouses and hotels which were operating
illegally in the area. In May, the HC had also asked the forest
department to prepare an eco-tourism policy and submit the same in
court.
However, if one visits the tourism website, we would
still find resorts and farm houses that have been permitted to operate
under home stay. For example, when one visits the website of tourism
department, the home stay list includes one Vishal Rudabhai Bharvad. The
first photo on the website gives his website address with
vibhuvanresorts.com. Also, there are several permissions which have even
displayed swimming pools and dormitories in their photos on the
website.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Tourism-dept-asks-complainants-to-approach-HC-about-hotels-in-Gir/articleshow/49137176.cms
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