Illegal mining near Sariska Tiger Reserve: SC tells Rajasthan to appoint nodal officer

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Rajasthan Government to appoint a nodal officer in Alwar district to deal with complaints of illegal mining within a kilometre of the Sariska Tiger Reserve.

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A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih passed the order while hearing pleas that claimed illegal mining activities within a kilometer of the tiger reserve despite the apex court's ban on such activity.

The Rajasthan Government denied the allegations and said inspections were conducted by the authorities even at night on the highways to prevent any such unauthorised activity.

Senior advocate K Parameshwar, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, said the appointment of a nodal officer would be a better way to deal with the grievances.

"We, therefore, direct the state of Rajasthan to appoint a nodal officer in the office of the district mining officer, Alwar," the bench said.

Upon the receipt of the complaint, the bench said, the nodal officer would take a decision within two weeks.

The court disposed of the applications and said if such a grievance was not entertained, the aggrieved person could approach the jurisdictional high court.

The counsel for the applicants said the apex court's directions for a ban on the mining activity within one kilometer of the reserve were being flouted.

"They can't do anything which will have an adverse effect on the critical tiger habitat without our permission," the bench said.

The top court in May last year said the continuance of any mining activity within the one-kilometer radius from the boundaries of critical tiger habitat of the reserve would be in contempt of its April 2023 order.

The apex court, in its April 26, 2023, verdict imposed a ban on mining within the national park and wildlife sanctuary aside from the one-kilometer area from its boundary.

"In our judgment dated April 26, 2023, further affirmed vide order dated April 28, 2023, we have prohibited mining activities within a radius of one kilometre from all protected areas. At the cost of repetition, the protected areas would not only mean the wildlife sanctuaries/national parks but also the critical tiger habitat," the court in its May 15, 2024, order said.