The Supreme Court-mandated Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has recommended approving the rationalisation of the boundaries of Sariska Tiger Reserve, the sanctuary and its critical tiger habitat (CTH) in Rajasthan despite environmentalists’ concerns that the move could pave the way for legalising mining operations previously halted by the top court.
The recommendation to approve boundary rationalisation was made by the CEC in an interim report in a suo moto matter examining multiple issues related to Sariska.
The southern part of the tiger reserve in the Tehla range is rich in marble and dolomite deposits.
“The CEC recommends that this Hon’ble Court may kindly approve the rationalised CTH, as approved by the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL),” the CEC said.
With respect to the boundaries of the Sariska wildlife sanctuary, it recommended that the Rajasthan government be permitted to proceed with the changes in the reserve forest area of the sanctuary, covering 924 sq km.
The revised sanctuary area may be notified under Section 26A(1)(b) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, subject to the recommendations of the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife, the CEC said.
Following the alteration in the tiger reserve’s boundaries, the critical tiger habitat will increase from 881.11 sq km to 924.49 sq km, and the buffer area will decrease from 245.72 sq km to 203.2 sq km, the CEC said.
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A critical tiger habitat is an area within a tiger reserve that is to be kept free of human activity and presence to aid tiger conservation and tiger breeding, as per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The CEC also recommended to the SC that the Rajasthan government and Centre be given a maximum period of six months to complete the process of notifying Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary’s eco-sensitive zone. This, it said, will ensure proper adjudication on several mining matters.
The rationalisation of the CTH in Sariska Reserve, the CEC noted, was conducted with scientific precision, guided by robust data on tiger occupancy (including camera-trap evidence), ecological connectivity and forest quality. “The exercise ensured that there is no fragmentation or reduction in core or buffer areas. Instead, ecologically degraded and human-impacted lands were excluded, while dense, contiguous, and uninhabited forest patches supporting tiger presence were included,” the CEC interim report said.
Prior to the Rajasthan State Wildlife Board’s (SBWL) meeting, The Indian Express had reported last month that if approved, the boundary rationalisation could aid operations of over 50 marble and dolomite mines that were closed following a Supreme Court order last year. These mines were closed as they fell within 1-km radius of the critical tiger habitat (CTH).
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The CEC also made submissions on the issue of vehicular movement to the popular Pandupole Hanuman temple in Sariska, and cooking on the temple premises. “The CEC is of the view that this Hon’ble Court may kindly allow the state government to explore the option of CNG buses, along with electric buses, to address operational challenges while ensuring environmental and economic viability,” the report said.
On cooking on the temple premises, the report stated that the committee held a discussion with the temple priest, during which, it was mutually agreed to install rooftop solar panels and use LPG to eliminate wood fuel, and introduce electric vans to ferry temple staff. Last year, the CEC had proposed a ban on entry of private vehicles. In a report last year, the CEC had said that 75,353 private vehicles with pilgrims plied inside Sariska reserve in 2023-24 including 35,483 cars, 34,406 two-wheelers and 464 buses.
