Supreme Court Urges Immediate Action for Protection of Rajasthan's Sacred Groves

Ecological and Cultural Significance:

Rajasthan's Orans are revered as sacred spaces by local communities, serving as reservoirs of biodiversity and providing vital resources like grazing land, water, and medicinal plants. Spread across approximately 600,000 hectares, these groves include culturally significant species such as the Khejri tree and are essential for sustaining livelihoods and preserving water resources in arid regions. The Chipko movement traces its roots to efforts by Rajasthan's Bishnoi community to protect Khejri trees.

Supreme Court's Interventions:

Historical Context: The Forest Conservation Act (FC Act), 1980, mandates protection of all forests irrespective of their classification. Rajasthan's Orans are often excluded from legal recognition despite their traditional significance.

Judicial Directives: In a series of judgments, the court has emphasized the application of the FC Act to Orans and other ecologically sensitive areas. Most recently, it directed the Rajasthan government to expedite the identification and classification of sacred groves as forests.

Role of Committees: An expert committee was constituted to evaluate and recommend the classification of these groves, but implementation has lagged. Recommendations by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) stress the ecological and cultural importance of such areas.

Policy Framework and Challenges:

While the Rajasthan Forest Policy 2010 provided a robust framework for Oran conservation, the updated 2023 policy diluted protections by categorizing them as general community lands. The court criticized this shift, urging a return to focused protections.

Community Involvement and Rights:

The court highlighted the role of local communities as custodians of sacred groves, supported by the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which recognizes community-led conservation efforts. The Piplantri model in Rajasthan, which integrates tree planting with community empowerment, was commended as a replicable example.

International Obligations:

India's commitments under conventions like the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples mandate the preservation of traditional knowledge and cultural landscapes, aligning with domestic efforts to protect sacred groves.

Judgment and Recommendations:

The court issued a series of directives, including:

Accelerating the survey and classification of sacred groves as forests.

Involving local communities in conservation efforts.

Considering the designation of sacred groves as community reserves under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Constituting a committee to oversee compliance, chaired by a retired High Court judge.

Conclusion:

The Supreme Court underscored the need for balancing ecological conservation with cultural preservation, urging the Rajasthan government to act decisively. The matter will be reviewed on January 10, 2025, to assess compliance with these directives.