Locals protest against eviction of youths engaged in tourism activities at Jalori Pass

Residents of the Raghupurgarh area, near Jalori Pass, in the Anni subdivision are upset over the forced removal of tents belonging to young entrepreneurs, who are engaged in tourism activities. A large number of locals held a protest and raised slogans against the Forest Department and the state government at Jalori Pass today.

According to Ugam Ram Thakur, president of Raghupur Eco-Tourism Society, the Forest Department and police have been uprooting tents and evicting the youths engaged in the tourism activities in the area. The action has sparked strong resentment among local youths and Mahila Mandals from Phanauti, Lagauti, Takrasi, Karshaigad and Karad panchayats.

The tourism entrepreneurs from various villages in the area have accused the Forest Department of acting without prior notice or explanation. They allege that on Thursday, officials arrived unannounced and began dismantling their tents. Thakur termed the move as unjust and untimely, particularly in the peak tourism season.

“The youths have been sustaining themselves through self-employment, yet the Forest Department has stripped them of their livelihood,” Thakur said. He claimed that the youths were forced out even as they had made payments as required by the department. Thakur claimed that the eviction was a deliberate move to hand over the area to private capitalists at the expense of local entrepreneurs.

Tourism beneficiary Pawan Kumar voiced his frustration over the government’s failure to support self-employment initiatives. “When temporary businesses thrive in other scenic forest areas of the district, why discriminate against local businessmen in their own region,” he asked.

Kumar warned that if the eviction drive continues and forest dwellers are deprived of their rights, the residents will be compelled to protest, demanding their right to earn a livelihood. He urged the government to provide alternative employment opportunities if it intends to dismantle local tourism setups.

Echoing similar sentiments, another area resident, Rajesh, said, “On one hand, the state promotes the development of 77 earmarked eco-tourism sites, on the other hand it is driving away youth-led tourism initiatives in Raghupurgarh.”

Defending the department’s actions, Luhri Divisional Forest Officer Chaman Rao stated that the youths were not being deprived of employment, but were being directed to operate within a structured framework. “The tourism activities in Raghupurgarh will be organised on the lines of Saryolsar and the new system will provide an orderly approach to tourism development in the region.”