Forest rights upheld

November 16, 2025

The Supreme Court has directed the Jharkhand government to notify 31,468.25 hectares of the Saranda Game Sanctuary as the Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary within 90 days, marking a decisive intervention to protect one of India’s most pristine forest landscapes. The court stressed that environmental preservation and development must be balanced, but made it clear that the state could not dilute its earlier commitments.

Saranda, known for its intact Sal forests, is home to 23 mammal species including the Asiatic Elephant, Four-horned Antelope, Sloth Bear and mouse deer, along with 138 bird species. The region has also been inhabited for centuries by Ho, Munda, Oraon and allied Adivasi communities whose livelihoods and cultural identity are deeply tied to forest resources. The court noted that degradation and fragmentation threaten both biodiversity and traditional rights.

A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran expressed displeasure over the state government’s shifting stand. Earlier this year, the state had indicated that it would notify over 57,519 hectares as a wildlife sanctuary and conservation reserve. But it later appointed a new committee to re-examine the matter, prompting the court to remark that it appeared the state had “taken the court for a ride.”

The court ordered the state to comply with the original 1968 notification issued by the erstwhile Bihar government, which had declared the specified 31,468.25 hectares as the Saranda Game Sanctuary. It also issued strict directions to safeguard the area’s ecological integrity. Mining will not be permitted inside the sanctuary or within one kilometre of its boundary.
The bench further instructed the state that the individual and community rights of tribal and forest-dwelling communities must not be adversely affected. Legal experts said the directive represents a significant step in enforcing protections under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and ensuring stronger habitat conservation.