With the annual monsoon closure of national parks and reserves across the state in effect from June 16 to September 15, authorities of the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Alipurduar have also suspended tourist entry.
However, fresh restrictions on travel within the reserve area have raised questions among residents.
While residents of Buxa and Jainti villages continue to commute daily to Alipurduar and other nearby areas, the state forest department has issued a notification stating that during the closure period, only residents of these villages will be permitted to travel on the state-run bus operating through the reserve.
“We want to ensure that no tourists enter the BTR area in these three months. Locals, however, are free to move through the forest to reach Alipurduar from their villages and vice versa,” said an official.
At present, a North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) bus operates once daily between Alipurduar and Jainti and makes two trips to Buxa, providing a vital transport link for locals.
“The department has imposed the restriction, but has not issued any identity cards to us to verify our eligibility to travel. This can lead to confusion,” said a resident dwelling in the Buxa hills.
Officials at NBSTC, when asked about the restriction, said as of now, the responsibility of identifying passengers has been entrusted to the bus conductor, who is familiar with the local residents as he operates the route regularly.
The arrangement has, however, raised concerns over how relatives and visitors of residents will be accommodated during the three-month closure period.
“During these three months, we will ensure that the residents of Buxa and Jainti do not face any problems, even if their relatives come to visit them. However, no outsiders will be allowed to enter the Buxa Tiger Reserve during this period,” Manoj Oraon, the state forest minister, said.