Supreme Court Orders Jharkhand to Declare 31,468.25 Hectares of Saranda as Wildlife Sanctuary

Saranda forest to be fully protected under Supreme Court’s landmark order

Mail News Service

New Delhi/Jamshedpur, Nov 13: In a landmark decision aimed at conserving one of India’s richest sal forests, the Supreme Court has directed the Jharkhand government to declare 31,468.25 hectares of the Saranda forest as a wildlife sanctuary within four weeks.

A bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran rejected the state government’s plea to reduce the notified area to 24,941 hectares, reaffirming the ecological significance of the original proposal.

During an earlier hearing on October 27, the Jharkhand government had sought to scale down the area, citing concerns over the displacement of local tribal communities, disruption to essential facilities like schools and health centres, and the potential impact on mining operations by SAIL and other industrial activities.

However, the apex court dismissed these arguments, asserting that environmental preservation must take precedence.

The court instructed the state to launch a public awareness campaign assuring local residents that the sanctuary declaration will not infringe upon their rights.

Importantly, the court underlined that the Forest Rights Act (FRA) will continue to safeguard the customary and livelihood rights of tribal and forest-dwelling communities within the sanctuary area.

The ruling marks a crucial step in strengthening conservation efforts in Saranda, often hailed as the “Land of Seven Hundred Hills”, known for its dense sal cover, elephants, and biodiversity — now poised for legal protection as Jharkhand’s next major wildlife sanctuary.

Saranda ruling echoes our longstanding demand: Saryu Roy

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Nov 13: Jamshedpur (West) MLA Saryu Roy has welcomed the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict prohibiting mining activities within a 1- Km radius of all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, calling it a vindication of his long-standing demands.

In a statement issued in Jamshedpur, Roy said the apex court’s order fully aligns with the position he and his supporters have been advocating for years.

“What we had been saying all along has now been validated by the Supreme Court,” he remarked.

Roy recalled that the Bihar government had issued a notification in 1968 proposing a sanctuary in the Saranda forest region.

Despite raising the matter multiple times in the Jharkhand Assembly, the notification was never traced.

“We have consistently demanded that the area be declared a sanctuary,” he said.

He further explained that the Supreme Court has now accepted the proposal made by the Bihar government in 1968.

“The only difference is that in 2015, the Government of India set up a committee to prepare a ‘Mines Plan for Sustainable Mining’, which clearly demarcated mining and no-mining zones in Saranda. The Supreme Court’s latest order effectively separates part of the no-mining zone from this plan,” Roy explaind.

Expressing satisfaction over the development, the MLA added, “I am glad that the Supreme Court has delivered an excellent judgment in line with our continuous efforts to protect the Saranda forests.”