Jamshedpur: The Jharkhand government will not implement the Supreme Court’s mandate to declare 314.68 square kilometers of the Saranda Forest Division as a wildlife sanctuary in its current form. Instead, the state intends to approach the apex court with a review petition seeking clarifications on specific points of the order.
This development surfaced during the Jharkhand Assembly session today in a written response to a starred question raised by Jamshedpur West MLA, Saryu Roy.
Missed Deadline for Sanctuary Notification
According to the Department of Forest, Environment, and Climate Change, the Supreme Court’s order—passed on November 13, 2025—directed the state to notify the sanctuary within three months, excluding six specific compartments.
The deadline to comply with this judicial directive expired on February 12, 2026. However, the state government has yet to issue a formal notification to designate the Saranda Forest Division as a wildlife sanctuary.
State Opts for Judicial Review
In the Assembly, MLA Saryu Roy questioned the government’s intent, asking whether the state genuinely planned to establish the wildlife zone. The government clarified that rather than implementing the order “as-is” (verbatim), it has opted to file a review petition.
“The government’s response confirms that they are seeking a review, but they have failed to provide crucial details,” Roy stated in his press release. The written answer provided by the state lacks specific information regarding:
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The exact date the review petition was filed.
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Whether the Supreme Court has officially admitted or accepted the petition for hearing.
Background on Saranda
The Saranda Forest Division is ecologically significant, often referred to as the land of “seven hundred hills” and home to one of Asia’s largest Sal forests. The Supreme Court’s intervention aimed to protect the region’s biodiversity from extensive mining and industrial pressure. The state’s move to seek a review suggests a conflict between conservation mandates and local administrative or industrial interests.
