Illegal Logging and Hotel Boom in Bandhavgarh: The Real Issue Lost in Departmental Tug-of-War
Illegal Logging and Hotel Boom in Bandhavgarh: The Real Issue Lost in Departmental Tug-of-War
By Sadanand Joshi | Field Report, Umaria (Madhya Pradesh)
Bandhavgarh National Park, one of Madhya Pradesh’s most celebrated tiger reserves, is under dual assault. On the one hand, vast stretches of teak and sal forests in Dhaukhadar Forest Range—especially in Raipur beat areas of Sagmanih, Patparia, Ghinonchiha, and Kudri—have been reduced to stumps after large-scale illegal logging. On the other hand, nearly 80 hotels and resorts have mushroomed on the park’s fringes.
But the matter is not just about trees falling or resorts rising. At the heart of the controversy lies a deceptively simple question: Is this land forest land—or revenue land?
Background: A Shrinking Forest
A warning was published on July 4, 2025, that Bandhavgarh’s forests were fast disappearing. The latest scenes from Dhaukhadar confirm the fear. Thousands of mature teak and sal trees now stand as lifeless stumps—stark evidence of the encroachment and neglect.
Departmental Deadlock: “Forest Land” vs. “Revenue Land”
Action has stalled because of one key disagreement.
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Forest Department’s stance: The area is unquestionably forest land.
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Revenue Department’s stance: The land falls under revenue records.
This jurisdictional clash means that files keep moving from one department to another, while illegal felling and resort construction continue unchecked.
What the Officials Say
Vivek Singh, Deputy Director, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
“The area is vast. If we receive specific information about a site, we will inspect it and stop cutting if necessary.”
T.R. Nag, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Manpur)
“Whether the land belongs to the revenue department or Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve can only be determined after joint inspection of the land records and on-site verification.”
He adds:
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Hotel–resort approvals are issued by local gram panchayats, which also collect taxes. Neither the revenue department nor the Tiger Reserve plays a direct role in these permissions.
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The problem worsens when it comes to enforcement—departments shift responsibility, and real action gets lost in blame-shifting.
Side Box: 80 Resorts and the Question of Legitimacy
Bandhavgarh’s buffer zone and surrounding areas now host around 80 hotels and resorts. Many of them hold building permits and tax receipts from village panchayats. But the real questions are:
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Is panchayat-level approval sufficient for construction in an ecologically sensitive area?
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Were mandatory clearances obtained from the Environment, Forest, and Tourism Departments?
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If not, on what grounds can these constructions be called legal?
Experts Call for Joint Survey
Specialists argue that only a joint survey—matching khasra-khatauni revenue records with forest maps—can resolve the dispute. Without this exercise, neither illegal logging nor resort encroachments can be definitively addressed. The survey’s findings would form the basis for action against unlawful felling, encroachment, and questionable approvals.
Coming Next (Part 2):
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Why small villagers are targeted while big players go untouched
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Allegations of entrenched officials and local collusion
Rare political unity demanding accountability
👉 This report is part of a continuing investigation into Bandhavgarh’s ecological crisis.
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