Overview

• The Rajasthan Wildlife Board approved on June 23 a boundary rationalisation that removes 48.39 square kilometres from Sariska’s Critical Tiger Habitat and adds 90.91 square kilometres of buffer-zone land.
• The proposal fulfills a Supreme Court directive from December to complete CTH boundary adjustments within a year following the CEC’s July 2024 report.
• If the National Board for Wildlife signs off on June 26, mining leases for more than 50 marble and dolomite operations near Sariska could restart after yearlong closures.
• Conservationists warn that cutting peripheral hills undermines vital tiger corridors and may reverse gains in Sariska’s population, now at 48 tigers including cubs.
• Local mine owners cite annual revenue losses of up to Rs 800 crore from halted operations and allege corrupt practices in the boundary change process.