The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered an independent inquiry into alleged irregularities in the grant of mining permissions near the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, observing that the matter raises “substantial questions relating to the environment.”
The order was passed on Wednesday by the Central Zone Bench of the NGT at Bhopal while hearing a petition filed by Pawan Singh, who alleged discrepancies in official records regarding the distance of certain mining lease areas from the protected forest.
According to the petition, several mining leases that had earlier been rejected or delisted for failing to obtain mandatory clearance from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) were later revived after a revised distance certificate reportedly placed the lease areas beyond the 10-kilometre eco-sensitive zone surrounding the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary.
The petitioner contended that earlier government records had shown the mining leases to be located within 10 kilometres of the sanctuary, making wildlife clearance mandatory. However, a subsequent report allegedly revised the distance to more than 10 kilometres, paving the way for mining approvals. The petition questioned the basis of the revised measurements and sought an independent investigation into the discrepancy.
A bench comprising Justice Sheo Kumar Singh, Judicial Member, and Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, Expert Member, observed that the allegations required detailed examination as they involved significant environmental concerns and the protection of wildlife habitats.
The Tribunal directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Rajasthan, to conduct an inquiry through competent senior officers to accurately determine the distance between the mining lease areas and the Sariska protected area. The inquiry will also examine whether environmental regulations and wildlife protection norms have been violated.
To facilitate the investigation, the NGT constituted a Joint Committee comprising a senior representative of the Chief Wildlife Warden, Rajasthan, a representative of the Alwar District Collector, and a representative of the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB).
The committee has been directed to conduct a site inspection and submit a factual report, along with details of any action taken, to the Tribunal within six weeks. The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board has been designated as the nodal agency to coordinate the inspection and provide logistical support.
The Tribunal’s order marks the latest judicial scrutiny of mining activities around ecologically sensitive areas, where compliance with environmental safeguards and wildlife protection laws remains a key regulatory requirement.
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