New Delhi: In what could force PM Manmohan Singhto intervene in the raging debate on tiger versus tourism, Valmik Thapar, one of the most prominent tigerwallahs, has demanded that the government’s guidelines restricting tourism in breeding areas of big cats be discussed in the meet of the National Board of Wild Life to be held on September 5. The board — apex body to oversee wildliferelated issues — is headed by the PM and has several experts, including Thapar, and senior government officials as members. Thapar’s move comes when the ministry had filed its guidelines before the Supreme Court in an ongoing case recommending that tourism business be taken out of the core of tiger reserves, which the law now mandates to be kept inviolate — free of human presence. But the ministry’s move has got the conservation community divided since several wildlife activists run resorts and tourism operations in and around tiger reserves. Thapar’s relatives also run a resort next to Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.