Supreme Court Bans Mining Near National Parks to Protect Wildlife

On November 13, 2025, the Supreme Court of India issued a significant ruling, banning all mining activities within a 1-kilometer radius of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country. The court noted that such mining operations would be hazardous to the wildlife residing in these protected areas.

The ruling came as the court was considering pleas related to the notification of the Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary (SWL) and the Sasangdaburu Conservation Reserve (SCR) in Jharkhand. The bench, comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran, stated that the court has consistently held the view that mining near protected areas poses a threat to the wildlife.

In addition to the mining ban, the Supreme Court directed the Jharkhand government to officially notify the Saranda region as a wildlife sanctuary. The court also emphasized that the rights of the tribal and forest-dwelling communities in the area must be protected in accordance with the Forest Rights Act, and asked the state government to widely publicize this directive.

This ruling is expected to have a significant impact on the conservation efforts in India, as it aims to safeguard the delicate ecosystems and the diverse wildlife found within national parks and sanctuaries across the country.