On Saranda forests, Jharkhand must heed SC, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court directed the Jharkhand government to declare 314 sq km of Saranda forests as a wildlife sanctuary in November of last year.
• The Jharkhand government missed the February deadline and filed two review petitions, arguing that protected area status would curtail the rights of indigenous people.
• The Saranda forests are a crucial elephant corridor, and mining operations have disrupted elephant migratory routes, increasing human-animal conflict.
• A study reported that elephants killed over 1,300 people in Jharkhand between 2000 and 2023 due to habitat disruption.

Detailed Insights:

• The Supreme Court has clarified that individual and community rights under the Forest Rights Act will remain protected, and traditional livelihoods will not be displaced by conservation efforts.
• Mining operations in the Saranda forests over the past two decades have altered the ecosystem's integrity, leading to deforestation, soil erosion, and weakened watershed systems.
• The Jharkhand government's delay in protecting the Saranda forests reflects a broader pattern of inadequate executive action on environmental matters, undermining public faith in environmental governance.
• Protecting the sal forests is essential for long-term ecological security, local climate resilience, and the livelihoods of communities dependent on agriculture.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Wildlife Sanctuary: A protected area reserved for the conservation of animals and their habitat.
• Forest Rights Act: Legislation that recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling communities to manage and conserve forest resources.
• Ecological Security: The state of having sufficient and sustainable access to natural resources and a healthy environment.