Buxa Tiger Reserve: Strict rules issued for Jayanthi Mahakal Fair
Over the past three months, the Forest department’s-installed camera trap has repeatedly captured images of a full-grown Royal Bengal Tiger. In the midst of the tiger’s presence, Shivratri is approaching on March 8. On this Shivratri day, the Forest department has imposed several restrictions on the centuries-old fair of Jayanthi Mahakal in the deep forest of Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR).
The required permissions have already been obtained from the Shivratri Mela Committee. According to the forest sources, the agreement outlines several restrictions: no use of firewood for cooking, with gas ovens mandated, prohibition of sound boxes, DJ music and alcohol, mandatory use of environmentally-friendly toilets and a ban on plastic carry bags.
Post-fair, the Jayanti River bed must be cleaned and the Forest department has secured a ten-thousand-rupee advance from the Vandara committee, subject to confiscation for rule violations.
Breaching guidelines may also lead to legal consequences. Extra forest guards and police forces will monitor the route from Rajabhatkhawa gate to the Jayanti riverbed to prevent overcrowding.
Apurba Sen, Field Director of the BTR, emphasised: “Tigers generally do not tolerate the presence of humans and noise. After years of settling in, there’s concern that the gathering of thousands of people during Shivratri might disturb the tiger. However, we have implemented strict rules. Everyone should remain vigilant.”
While tigers have found a comfortable habitat in the depths of the Buxa Forest with an abundance of prey, the Forest department is concerned about the upcoming Shivratri crowd. During the fair, thousands of people from different parts of North Bengal gather at Jayanti to visit the Boro Mahakal Temple in Bhutan every year.
The congregation occurs on the Jayanti riverbed, generating noise and traffic that could potentially disturb the tigers. Consequently, the BTR authority has implemented several stringent measures to manage the crowd and mitigate potential disturbances to the wildlife.
