Aravalli judgment criticism: Supreme Court environment rulings: While the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Aravallis has drawn heavy criticism, it exists alongside a track record of the court’s firm stance against environmental neglect. A prime example is the apex court’s recent condemnation of forest land grabbing in Uttarakhand. In a sharp rebuke, the court labelled the state government a “silent spectator” to years of encroachment and ordered a formal probe into the land seizures.
The apex court has frequently demonstrated a proactive vigilance regarding environmental conservation. Beyond mere oversight, the apex court has intervened decisively to safeguard India’s vast biodiversity—a delicate ecosystem home to over 91,000 animal species and 45,000 plant species. This judicial protection extends from endangered wildlife to the nation’s critical coastal and marine hotspots.
Jharkhand: Asia’s largest Sal forests
On October 8, the Supreme Court ordered the Jharkhand government to declare the Saranda forest a wildlife sanctuary in West Singhbhum district. These forests are also known as the ‘Land of Seven Hundred Hills’ for its hilly terrain and Asia’s largest Sal forests spanning 314 square kilometres.
The bench of former Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K V Chandran had already rapped the state government for delaying the notification of the forest despite directions from the court.
The order came after the court took note of illegal mining and deforestation threatening the ecosystem.
The Jharkhand government had initially agreed to declare the forests in the Saranda as a sanctuary. However, it later informed the court that it was prepared to notify 249.164 square kilometres as sanctuary, while seeking exclusion of 60 square kilometres are with tribal population.
No mining within a km of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries
On November 13, the Supreme Court banned all mining activities within one kilometre of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country.
Story continues below this ad
The landmark judgment was passed by a bench comprising former CJI Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, which said that mining within these ecologically sensitive zones is “hazardous for wildlife and ecological balance”. It directed that such activities must cease immediately.
The top court took note of the increasing threats to the wildlife and environment of the country in the wake of excessive mining, habitat destruction, noise, water and other kinds of pollution.
Bihar: Save dolphins
The top court in April directed the Centre and Bihar government to submit a detailed report within four weeks on the encroachment of the Ganga’s banks, threats to dolphins, and the actions taken so far.
The bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan said clear information was needed in the case.
Story continues below this ad
An application was moved in 2020 by a Patna resident Ashok Kumar Sinha, who challenged illegal constructions along the ecologically fragile floodplains of the Ganga in Patna.
Sinha alleged that these constructions violate the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. He told the court that these encroachments threaten the river’s ecosystem and the Gangetic dolphin population.
He also warned that Patna’s drinking water is at risk, as the groundwater is already contaminated with arsenic and the river plays a crucial role in meeting the city’s water needs.
According to the petitioner, 151 illegal structures in the Sambalpur Diara region between Mahatma Gandhi Setu and Naujar Ghat included both temporary and permanent constructions threatening the river ecosystem including the dolphins.
Story continues below this ad
Uttarakhand: Save tigers
The Supreme Court in November held that no safari will be permitted in core or critical tiger habitats.
Setting new ecological safeguards, the bench, comprising former CJI Gavai and Justices A G Masih and A S Chandurkar ruled that tiger safaris can only be established on non-forest or degraded forest land located within buffer areas.
Accepting the findings from a court-appointed expert panel examining ecological breaches at Uttarakhand’s Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, the court said that these sites must not fall within recognised tiger corridors, which act as vital movement pathways for wildlife.
Delhi NCR: Curb pollution
The Supreme Court on December 17 directed authorities to urgently address traffic congestion at toll plazas on Delhi borders amid rising air pollution levels.
Story continues below this ad
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to consider temporarily closing or relocating nine toll points.
The CJI also questioned why authorities could not suspend toll collection at least till January, 2026.
Saying that MCD-operated toll plazas, particularly at the Gurugram border, were creating long traffic jams and vehicle queues resulted in significantly increasing emissions and worsening air pollution on both sides of the Delhi-Gurugram border.
Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu
On December 20, a Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said that animals suffer silently when their migration paths are blocked by humans and commercial ventures.
Story continues below this ad
While hearing on a batch of petitions filed by owners of hotels and resorts in the Nilgiris was deferred to January 2026, the court said it will favour animal rights.
“All of you are there for commercial purposes and in the elephant corridor. These constructions interfere with elephant movement. The benefit must go to these animals who are silent victims of these commercial developments,” said the court.
The hotels and resorts in the wildlife areas have been asked to vacate the forest land after the Tamil Nadu government notified elephant corridors in the Sigur Plateau in the Nilgiris.
