Supreme Court Reserves Verdict on Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary Notification

The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on whether to notify parts of the Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary and Sasangdaburu Conservation Reserve as protected areas in Jharkhand. The case involves discussions on the reduction of proposed area sizes and mining activities affecting the conservation efforts.

The Supreme Court reserved its verdict on Monday regarding the notification of areas within the Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary and Sasangdaburu Conservation Reserve in Jharkhand, raising critical conservation issues.

Chief Justice B R Gavai, alongside Justice K Vinod Chandran, deliberated on the matter, hearing submissions from advocate K Parmeswar, senior lawyer Kapil Sibal representing the Jharkhand government, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for SAIL. The primary issue centered around the delay in declaring these areas as conservation reserves and the reduction of proposed reserve areas due to potential mining interests.

The court has asked the involved parties to submit their written proposals by Friday and reiterated the importance of declaring at least 31,468.25 hectares as a sanctuary, with further discussions on potential expansions to 57,519.41 hectares. Meanwhile, mining activities by SAIL may continue under specific conditions, highlighting the balance between conservation efforts and national interest projects.

(With inputs from agencies.)