Kathmandu, July 17 - Nepal's oldest green resort, founded in the early 1960s by a legendary British tourism entrepreneur who also gave this country its famous elephant polo tourneys, has been forced to shut down after its lease expired and the new government was not able to extend it immediately.

The Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge, located in the heart of the national park in southern Nepal's Chitwan district, a major tourist attraction, was founded by Jim Edwards, who came to Nepal via Iran, Afghanistan and New Delhi, and decided to make it his home.

The green resort, which employs over 300 people, including 12 elephants, was asked by the park authorities to close down from Thursday after its 20-year lease expired.

Along with it, six other lodges inside the park were also shut down for the same reason.

'It is going to send negative messages to tourists at a time Nepal is seeking to draw 1 million visitors in 2011,' said Yadav Bantawa, general manager at Tiger Tops.

'Tiger Tops opened when the national park did not even exist. It has contributed immensely in terms of business, royalty and conservation efforts. We pay the government annually about NRS 10 million as royalty and conservation fees.'

Wildlife and green organisations have been critical of the government for the mushrooming of resorts in the national park, which is a Unesco-declared World Heritage site.

World Wildlife Fund Nepal says while tourism should be promoted in the park, it has to be eco-friendly and without adversely affecting or destroying the prime habitat of wild animals.