Latest reports suggest that authorities from the Corbett Tiger Reserve have now decided to no longer entertain references from VIPs requesting for accommodation and safari facilities either for themselves or for their friends and relatives. In fact, these requests will now be reported to their higher authorities.
The move comes in the wake of the Corbett administration receiving innumerable number of communications through explicit displays of official positions or state symbols, to get preferential attention for arranging accommodation, safaris, and other private arrangements, which are otherwise personal activities in nature and have nothing to do with the discharge of any official duties of the authorities concerned. As per the rules that have been framed by the Uttarakhand Government regarding state guests, the privilege is extended to only a few constitutional functionaries, such as the Prime Minister, President, Chief Justice of India, Lok Sabha speaker, among others to avail such facilities.
With the new move in place, the director of Corbett Tiger Reserve says all these special requests will now be referred back to the concerned official and will not be entertained. He also said that, over the years, the VIP culture has crept into our polity. He opined that people sitting in influential positions have started using their official position and powers to create a distinct class for themselves, using their privilege to make undue claims over public resources, which has nothing to do with their official duties.
