Supreme Court Directs Saranda Sanctuary Creation

Supreme Court Orders Saranda Forest Sanctuary Creation

Why in the News ?

The Supreme Court has directed the Jharkhand government to declare 31,468.25 hectares of the pristine Saranda sal forest as a wildlife sanctuary, emphasising protection of biodiversity while balancing sustainable mining, and ensuring tribal rights remain unaffected. This decision aligns with India’s commitment to sustainable forest management and its nationally determined contributions to combat climate change, potentially opening avenues for participation in the voluntary carbon market (VCM).

Supreme Court’s Key Directions and Observations:

• Mandatory Declaration: The Court directed Jharkhand to notify 31,468.25 hectares (314 sq. km.) of Saranda as a wildlife sanctuary, rejecting lower proposals and recognizing its potential role in emission trading systems.
• Ecological Priority: The Bench noted that Saranda is among the world’s most pristine sal forests, needing urgent statutory protection to preserve its role in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and supporting carbon market linkage.
• Tribals’ Rights Protected: The Court ensured that individual and community rights of Adivasi groups—Ho, Munda, Uraon—will not be affected, recognizing their role in sustainable forest management and potential participation in clean development mechanism projects.
• State Obligation: Jharkhand was reminded of its constitutional duty to protect ecologically significant areas and conduct thorough environmental impact assessments for any development projects, including those related to the emissions trading system.
• Public Awareness: The government must widely publicise that no displacement or rights loss will occur due to the sanctuary status, emphasizing the potential for carbon market cooperation and VCM projects in the region.

Ecological and Economic Significance of Saranda Forest

• Critical Biodiversity Hub: The forest hosts endangered species like the sal forest tortoise, four-horned antelope, Asian palm civet, and wild elephants, contributing significantly to India’s biodiversity conservation efforts and potential voluntary carbon market initiatives.
• Cultural Ecosystem: Indigenous communities’ subsistence, culture and forest dependence are deeply tied to Saranda’s ecology, highlighting the importance of sustainable forest management practices and their role in carbon market linkage.
• Iron Ore Importance: Saranda carries 26% of India’s iron ore reserves, crucial for industries like SAIL and Tata Steel, necessitating a balance between resource extraction and clean energy transitions through emission trading mechanisms.
• Mining Concerns: Amicus curiae warned that declaring the entire forest as sanctuary would disrupt mining and employment, emphasizing the need for comprehensive environmental impact assessments and consideration of carbon market cooperation opportunities.
• Government’s Position: Jharkhand first proposed 24,941 hectares, citing “public infrastructure”, but later accepted that 31,468 hectares were free from mining and non-forest use, aligning with national efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through forest conservation and participation in the voluntary carbon market.