Overview
- Mining is now barred inside all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across India and within one kilometre of their boundaries.
- Jharkhand must notify 126 compartments as the Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary within three months, excluding KP‑2, KP‑10, KP‑11, KP‑12, KP‑13 and KP‑14 under the sustainable mining plan.
- The court affirmed that tribal and community forest rights remain protected under the Forest Rights Act and Wildlife Protection Act and directed the state to widely publicize these safeguards.
- Existing public infrastructure such as schools, rail lines and dispensaries will continue, and limited ancillary activities by SAIL may proceed.
- A bench of CJI B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran criticized Jharkhand’s shifting stands and earlier summoned the chief secretary over non‑compliance.