THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, September 30: Senior legislator and environmentalist Saryu Roy has accused the Jharkhand government of dragging its feet on the Supreme Court’s directive to declare the Saranda Dense Forest a wildlife sanctuary. He urged the State to act immediately on the proposal already submitted by Forest Secretary Abu Bakr Siddique to the apex court and issue a notification without delay.
A Group of Ministers (GoM) — Radha Krishna Kishore, Deepika Pandey Singh, Deepak Birua, Chamra Linda and Sanjay Prasad Yadav — toured the Saranda region earlier in the day to study the implications of declaring it a sanctuary. Their findings are to be placed before the Council of Ministers.
Addressing a press conference in Ranchi, Roy said the government’s hesitation was “beyond comprehension” and reminded that the Supreme Court has set October 7, 2025, as the deadline. “The Court has made it clear that non-compliance could land the Chief Secretary in jail,” he warned.
Supreme Court’s Deadline
On September 17 last, the Supreme Court ordered Jharkhand to declare Saranda a wildlife sanctuary by October 7, following repeated delays despite earlier assurances.
“In April this year, Forest Secretary Abu Bakr Siddique apologised to the Court and promised to declare over 57,500 hectares as Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary, along with 13,600 hectares as the Sansangda Buru Conservation Reserve,” Roy recalled. “That promise has still not been honoured.”
He cautioned that the GoM’s late intervention “may give the government an excuse to water down its commitment before the Court.”
Historical Neglect and Mining Pressure
Roy noted that Saranda’s conservation history dates back to 1969, when the Bihar government declared part of the forest a game sanctuary. But after Jharkhand’s formation, no steps were taken to notify it formally.
Mining, he said, has always loomed large over Saranda. By Independence, over 4,800 hectares were already leased for iron ore and manganese extraction. In later decades, public and private companies expanded operations.
“After 2006, during the Madhu Koda government, mining lease applications ballooned to nearly 65,700 hectares — virtually the entire forest,” Roy said. “It became clear the state wanted to hand over Saranda to mining companies, threatening its very existence.”
Committees and Warnings Ignored
Multiple national-level studies have urged the protection of Saranda. The M.B. Shah Commission (2010) flagged rampant illegal mining, while subsequent panels recommended wildlife management and sustainable mining plans.
“In 2003, the Government of India’s Director General of Forests identified over 63,000 hectares in Saranda as a no-mining zone. Yet, the Mines Department entertained lease applications in the very same areas,” Roy said.
The National Green Tribunal ordered Saranda’s declaration as a sanctuary in 2022, but the directive was ignored until environmentalists once again moved the Supreme Court.
‘Mining Versus Development a False Binary’
Industry claims that Saranda’s four million tonnes of iron ore are vital for India’s growth were dismissed by Roy.
“What matters is not how much ore lies underground, but how much our steel plants will need over the next 50 years. Existing leases are more than enough to meet that demand,” he said. “If future needs arise, parts of the sanctuary can always be de-notified. But sacrificing Saranda today for exports is unjustifiable.”
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Roy stressed that eco-tourism, non-timber forest products and conservation-linked employment could generate lasting livelihoods. “These benefits are permanent, unlike mining, which leaves behind devastation,” he argued.
Wider Environmental Campaign
Linking Saranda’s struggle with broader ecological battles, Roy reminded that he has long campaigned to protect Jharkhand’s rivers, including the Damodar, Subarnarekha and Koel.
“I have fought to save our rivers from industrial effluents and reckless sand mining, just as I have fought to save Saranda from iron ore greed,” he said. “This is not about opposing development, it is about choosing survival.”
Call for Immediate Action
Roy urged the government to stop its delaying tactics and honour its affidavit before the apex court.
“The Jharkhand government must notify the Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary and Reserve Area before October 8. This is not just about obeying a Court order; it is about safeguarding one of Asia’s most celebrated forest landscapes,” he concluded.
