Foreigners in Rajaji National Park booked under Wildlife Protection Act

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Foreigners-in-Rajaji-Park-booked-under-Wildlife-Protection-Act/articleshow/5782372.cms

RISHIKESH: A group of foreigners, allegedly camping in Rajaji Park here, have been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act for staying in the reserved forest area without permission.

The authorities have registered a case under section 27 of Wildlife Protection Act against Shivraj Giri and others yesterday for living in the park area without any permission, Wildlife Warden of the park S B Lal said today.

Giri, an Indian Naga sadhu, is reportedly the head of the group which has come to attend the four-month long Mahakumbh, being held on the bank of the river Ganga in Haridwar and Rishikesh.

Nearly 150-200 foreigners from Israel, US, UK, Panama and Finland have been staying in the reserve forest area inhabited by elephants and tigers for the past several days without any permission from the park administration.

Though the administration had warned the foreigners of stern action and even alloted nearly 20,000 square feet of land to them at Saptsarovar sector in the Kumbh mela area, they have refused to leave the park.

However, the foreigners have agreed to leave the forest area by tomorrow morning, Lal said.

If the foreigners do not leave the park by tomorrow, an action would be taken against them under the Act, he added.