Overview
- Minister of State for Finance and Planning Ashish Jaiswal urged allowing non-vegetarian meals at rest houses in reserved forests, wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves.
- Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Rishikesh Ranjan sought views from regional offices and tiger projects in a January 27 letter.
- Ranjan said no replies had been received so far and called for immediate submissions from the concerned divisions.
- Serving meat in ecologically sensitive zones drew objections from forest officials who warned of risks to wildlife protection and the potential to attract animals to human use areas.
- Jaiswal argued the 2005 food restriction drives visitors to private hotels, proposed retaining the liquor ban, and noted his August 2025 request initially drew little departmental response.