The Supreme Court has threatened Jharkhand Chief Secretary to favourably respond to its previous directives to notify Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary and the Sasangdaburu Conservation Reserve as a conservation reserve, or be ready to face legal action.

In fact, apparently, unhappy over non-compliance of its previous orders, the top on Wednesday ( September 17, 2025)has directed Jharkhand’s CS to personally appear before it on October 8 to show cause as to why the state government has not notified Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary and the Sasangdaburu Conservation Reserve as a conservation reserve.

"The Jharkhand government is in clear contempt of our order dated April 29, 2025... we therefore direct the chief secretary of Jharkhand to remain present in this court at 10.30 am on October 8 and show cause as to why contempt proceedings be not initiated," a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran ordered.

The Wild Life Act provides for the declaration and management of a conservation reserve. It says: "The state government may, after having consultations with the local communities, declare any area owned by the government, particularly the areas adjacent to national parks and sanctuaries and those areas which link one protected area with another, as a conservation reserve for protecting landscapes, seascapes, flora and fauna and their habitat."

The bench was critical of the fact that the state government, instead of complying with its earlier orders and notifying SWL and SCR as a conservation reserve, set up a committee headed by its official on May 13 to further deliberate on the issue.

The bench asked the state government to do the needful within two months, else it may send the concerned officials to jail for six months.

-----------------------------Advertisement------------------------------------