The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the Director of Corbett National Park to put the ongoing safari gypsy registration process on hold until November 27, and to come up with a new policy aimed at expanding local employment opportunities.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice G. Narendra and Justice Subhash Upadhyay passed the directions while hearing a public interest petition filed by local residents, including Chakshu Kargeti and Savitri Agarwal.
The petitioners argued that all permit holders — whether old or new — who meet the current eligibility conditions should be allowed to take part in the lottery for safari gypsy registration.
They alleged that the park administration is selectively registering only certain categories of gypsies, while excluding vehicles registered two years ago, despite them having valid Regional Transport Office (RTO) permits. This, they said, goes against previous court orders.
During the hearing, the bench observed that the park’s policy should benefit a wider section of the local population. It asked the Director to formulate a fresh policy to ensure fair employment opportunities for more people from nearby communities.
The court also made it clear that the current registration process will not be finalised until the next hearing, scheduled for November 27.
The case will be taken up again to examine the new policy framework and assess the steps taken by the park authorities in line with the court’s directions.
