• The Supreme Court said that continuance of mining activities within a radius of one km from the boundaries of critical tiger reserves would be in contempt of its order in April 2023.

• The Supreme Court had in its April 26, 2023 verdict directed that mining within a national park and wildlife sanctuary and within an area of one km from their boundary shall not be permissible.

• A bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai was hearing an application seeking a direction to the Rajasthan government to stop all mining activities which were in alleged violation of the April 26 judgment.

• The bench noted that in this case, the critical tiger habitat was the buffer zone created in order to protect the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary.

• The bench said that it doesn’t find that any specific direction was required to the state of Rajasthan to prohibit mining activities within a radius of one km from the boundaries of the critical tiger habitat (tiger reserves).

Sariska Tiger Reserve

• Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in Alwar district of Rajasthan in the lap of Aravali hills and situated 200 km from the national capital.

• It got a status of wildlife reserve in 1955 and in 1978 it became Sariska Tiger Reserve. 

• The reserve is spread over an area of 1,213 sq km.

• It is a resilient ecosystem with a high prey density, and has the unique distinction of successfully reintroducing the tiger after its local extinction.

• Sariska Tiger Reserve contains historical places inside such as Kankarwadi Fort.

• On an isolated mountain in Sariska Tiger Reserve stands the Neelkanth temple, which was built in the 6th century.

• Another temple located inside the temple premises is the Pandupol Hanuman Temple. 

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store