Sariska boundary: Ministry to invite public objections, reconsider alteration plan

Key Highlights:

• The Environment Ministry will invite public objections and reconsider its plan to alter the Sariska Tiger Reserve's Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) boundaries.
• This decision follows concerns raised about the rapid approval of the rationalization plan, which took only four days.
• The proposed rationalization could benefit over 50 marble and dolomite mines previously closed due to their proximity to the CTH.
• The Supreme Court will hear the matter again in the second week of December.

Detailed Insights:

• The Environment Ministry initially defended the rationalization as compliant with regulations but now concedes to mandatory public consultation following a Supreme Court order.
• Petitioners highlighted procedural lapses in the ministry's initial reply, including the rapid approval process and the timing of stakeholder consultations.
• The issue originated from a 2023 suo motu case regarding unrestricted entry into Sariska Tiger Reserve, later expanded to include village relocation and boundary demarcation.
• The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), under the Environment Ministry, broadened the scope of its report to include issues like village relocation and boundary demarcation.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH): Areas identified as essential for tiger conservation and require special protection.
• Rationalization: The process of adjusting or altering boundaries, often to balance conservation needs with other interests.
• Suo Motu: An action taken by a court on its own initiative, without a formal request from another party.