Karnataka’s Safari Monopoly Bad for People & Wildlife
Jungle Lodges & Resorts Ltd. (JLR) took charge of wildlife safaris from the Karnataka Forest Department in 2011, after the Karnataka High Court found the state forest department guilty of discrimination in issuing safari permits to private resorts. The irony is that since Jungle Lodges & Resorts (JLR) took over, discrimination has gotten worse and on multiple levels. JLR is a state-owned for-profit monopoly with the power of government and market, enabling it to use predatory practices against local communities, consumers and the private sector. Karnataka is the only state in India with this safari model and exemplifies the famous quote ‘Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. Prior to 2011, private resorts operated wildlife safaris in Karnataka for more than a decade, while the state forest department enforced the rules and facilitated safari operations. This allowed private resorts to own safari vehicles and employ locals as wildlife guides, drivers an...
