Today, the Supreme Court put a stop to all mining operations in Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve.

A bench consisting of Justices BR Gavai, Sandeep Mehta, and SVN Bhatti has issued an order restraining mining activities within a 1 km radius of the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) around Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan.

Additionally, the court directed the state to develop a closure plan or initiate essential measures to adhere to its directives before scheduling the next hearing for July.

During the proceedings, the Court considered an application requesting the State of Rajasthan to cease unauthorized mining operations within a 10 km radius of Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, without approval from the National Board for Wildlife, as well as within a 1 km radius of the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) - a safeguarded zone within Sariska Tiger Reserve.

According to the plea, numerous mining companies in Rajasthan were disregarding several directives and orders issued by the Supreme Court regarding mining operations within the Eco Sensitive Zones, which include the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) areas of Sariska Tiger Reserve.

In the said matter,  numerous individuals and companies were engaging in illegal mining activities within or beyond the Eco-Sensitive Zone of Sariska Tiger Reserve without obtaining approval from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) or valid Environmental Clearance (EC). These actions were seen as a violation of explicit directives issued by the Court in previous years.

The mining association was represented by Senior Advocate Atmaram Nadkarni, while the State of Rajasthan was represented by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati. Advocate Parul Shukla represented the applicant, and Advocate K Parameshwar served the Court in the capacity of an amicus curiae.