Congress accuses Gujarat Govt of destroying Gir Sanctuary for profits

Ahmedabad : The Gujarat Congress has strongly criticized the state’s BJP government for endangering the Asiatic lions of Gir Sanctuary through reckless development policies. While the government boasts about spending crores on lion conservation, Congress alleges that large-scale construction activities and illegal mining are threatening the sanctuary’s ecological balance.

According to Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi, the state government’s amendments to forest guidelines have opened the floodgates for commercial projects like resorts, homestays, and farmhouses in the sanctuary’s buffer zones. The opposition claims that such projects are fragmenting lion habitats, obstructing crucial wildlife corridors, and increasing human-animal conflicts.

Despite claiming to protect the only wild population of Asiatic lions, the Gujarat government has allowed solar farms, wind turbines, mobile towers, and safari parks to be set up near the sanctuary. Congress argues that these intrusive projects are driving lions away from their natural habitat and forcing them closer to human settlements, leading to a rise in conflict incidents.

Furthermore, allegations of illegal mining within the sanctuary’s restricted areas have surfaced, with opposition leaders questioning why authorities are turning a blind eye to such blatant violations. Congress warns that continued destruction of Gir’s ecosystem could erase the sanctuary’s identity and compromise the survival of its iconic lions.

The Congress party has highlighted alarming statistics: 555 lion deaths have been recorded in the past five years, averaging 110 deaths annually. Many of these deaths are attributed to accidents, infections, and habitat stress caused by shrinking wildlife corridors and increasing human activity.

Manish Doshi asserted that the BJP government’s development-first approach is coming at the cost of Gujarat’s ecological heritage. He demanded immediate intervention from wildlife experts and central authorities to halt harmful projects in and around Gir Sanctuary.

The Congress has urged the Gujarat government to reverse its policy changes that permit unregulated commercial activity near Gir. It has also called for stricter enforcement against illegal mining and construction, emphasizing that protecting the sanctuary should be prioritized over profit-making ventures.