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News India Live, Digital Desk: The country’s highest court, the Supreme Court, has once again adopted a very strict stance to save the historical Saranda forest of Jharkhand. The court has issued a stern rebuke to the Central and Jharkhand governments and ordered that the process of notifying Saranda as a ‘Sanctuary’ or ‘Conservation Reserve’ should be completed within the next three months.
This strict order came during the hearing of a petition in which concern was expressed over large-scale illegal mining and cutting of trees in the forests of Saranda.
What is the whole matter and why did the court get angry?
Saranda, which is considered to be Asia’s largest and densest sal forest, has been a victim of indiscriminate mining for decades. This is not only destroying the precious greenery here, but it is also an important corridor for elephants, which is being badly affected.
The Supreme Court had expressed concern on this matter several times before. In the last hearing, the court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) had recommended that the 625 square kilometer core area of Saranda should be declared a ‘protected area’ or ‘sanctuary’, so that any kind of mining or non-forestry activities here could be permanently banned.
But no concrete action was taken by the government on this. Expressing deep displeasure over this lax attitude, the Supreme Court said that any further delay will not be tolerated. The court made it clear that if this process is not completed within three months, it will be considered contempt of court and strict action will be taken against the concerned officials.
Why is Saranda forest special?
Saranda is not just a bunch of trees, it is a complete eco-system. Known as the ‘Land of Seven Hundred Hills’, this forest is home to elephants, tigers and countless wildlife. This area is the most important route for elephant movement between Jharkhand and Odisha. The ongoing mining here has almost closed this route, due to which incidents of human-elephant conflict have also increased.
After this order of the Supreme Court, there is hope that now the forests of Saranda will be saved. Declaring it a sanctuary will not only curb illegal mining but will also provide a safe home to wildlife. This decision can prove to be a milestone for the environmental protection of Jharkhand.