These directions were issued to address increasing Human-Wildlife Conflicts (HWCs) due to habitat degradation, unregulated tourism, and corridor fragmentation.

Directions issued by the Supreme Court

• Tiger Safari Restrictions: Permitted only on non-forest or degraded forest land in buffer zones; 
  • No safaris in core areas or designated tiger corridors.
  • Night Tourism: To be banned in core/critical tiger habitats.
• Prohibited Activities: Commercial mining, polluting industries, major hydro projects, exotic species introduction, low-flying aircraft or commercial firewood extraction barred in buffer/fringe areas.
• Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs): All reserves must have their ESZs notified by the Union Ministry of Environment (on the request of states) as per the 2018 guidelines under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
• Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs): States must prepare/revise TCPs within stipulated timelines; 
  • Core and buffer areas to be notified within six months.
• Natural Disaster Status: States to treat HWCs as a natural disaster to ensure rapid relief.
  • Compensation: Uniform ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh for human deaths due to HWCs.
  • Draft HWC mitigation guidelines: To be drafted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) within six months, and to be implemented by all States.