Supreme Court Orders Jharkhand to Declare Saranda Forest a Wildlife Sanctuary

The Supreme Court has instructed the Jharkhand government to notify 126 compartments in the Saranda forest as a wildlife sanctuary within three months, barring mining within a one-km radius. The Court emphasized the protection of tribal rights and rejected the state's attempt to exclude more forest areas from protection.

The Supreme Court has mandated that the Jharkhand government must officially declare 126 compartments in the Saranda forest area as a wildlife sanctuary within three months. This decision comes with the stipulation that no mining activities are permitted within a one-kilometer radius of the sanctuary's boundary.

The Court dismissed the Jharkhand government's earlier proposal to exclude 57,519.41 hectares of forest land due to the presence of indigenous communities, reaffirming that the protection of tribal rights is not compromised by this declaration.

Highlighting the need for environmental preservation, the Court's ruling aims to set a precedent for nationwide adherence to similar wildlife protection measures, underscoring the balance between ecological conservation and indigenous rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)