NEW DELHI: Balancing ecological conservation with advancements in the defence and space sectors, Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the Jharkhand govt seven days to notify 314 sq kms of Saranda forest as a sanctuary but permitted extraction of high-grade iron ore and manganese from mines within the forests for use in Chandrayaan and anti-submarine warfare vessels.As a bench of CJI B R Gavai and Justice K V Chandran proceeded to hear senior advocate Kapil Sibal pleading against contempt of court proceedings against the Jharkhand chief secretary for state govt’s flip-flops over notifying the Sal tree forest as a sanctuary, the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) through solicitor general Tushar Mehta told the court the steel major has been operating the mines for the last 70 years and the high-grade iron ore is used in Chandrayaan and defence projects. The SG sought exemption of these mines as the rules governing a sanctuary render mining activities impermissible. SAIL said these mines have been the mainstay of its production and supply to “various national important projects like Chandrayaan and steel for anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft INS Arnala”. Amicus curiae and senior advocate K Parameshwar said the Jharkhand govt has been repeatedly doing U-turns in SC over notifying Saranda as a sanctuary and said the excuse dished out now – demarcation of the forest area – is to buy times as the state’s earlier affidavit had informed the court about the specific blocks that constitute the contiguous forest. The bench said it would take no time to issue a direction to the state to notify Saranda forest as sanctuary but is giving the last opportunity for issuance of notification within a week. It ordered that existing mines would be permitted to continue their mineral extraction activities. It also said that the mining leases already granted would remain unaffected by the notification of sanctuary.
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