SC Orders Jharkhand to Declare Saranda Sanctuary, Bans Mining Nearby
SC Orders Jharkhand to Declare Saranda Sanctuary, Bans Mining Nearby
Supreme Court moves to protect Saranda by declaring 31,468 hectares a wildlife sanctuary and enforcing a 1 km mining ban around protected areas.
The Supreme Court has directed the Jharkhand government to declare 31,468.25 hectares of the Saranda forest area as a wildlife sanctuary and to strictly prohibit mining within one kilometer of the sanctuary's boundary. The bench emphasized that mining activities near protected areas pose hazards to wildlife and ordered the state to notify 126 compartments as the wildlife sanctuary, while excluding six compartments designated for mining. The court underscored that the rights of tribal communities under the Forest Rights Act must be protected and urged wide publicity of the rights and duties involved. It also clarified that the decision aligns with a pan-India approach to safeguarding protected areas from extractive activities, drawing on prior directions issued in similar cases.
Saranda is renowned as one of the world’s most pristine sal forests and serves as a habitat for endangered species and various tribal communities, including the Ho, Munda, and Uraon groups. The forest holds significant ecological value and is linked to a substantial share of India’s iron ore reserves, with mining operations historically concentrated in the region. While the state had proposed varying extents for protection, the court’s judgment reaffirms the larger conservation vision and calls for a careful balance between biodiversity protection and local livelihoods. The directive requires Jharkhand to complete the sanctuary notification within three months and to ensure enforcement of the one-kilometer buffer around protected areas, thereby reframing the region’s future in terms of conservation and sustainable development.
Cover image source: SC bans mining activities within one km radius of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries 🔗
