The Supreme Court has directed the Rajasthan government to take immediate steps to ban mining in the core area of the Ranthambore tiger reserve and constituted a three-member committee to make recommendations to regulate the flow of devotees and vehicles at an ancient temple lying within the critical tiger habitat.
Passing directions on an application highlighting the threat to the tiger habitat and population due to illegal mining, unauthorised construction and a huge footfall of devotees at the temple, a bench headed by Chief Jusice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai said, “In order to protect the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, we deem it appropriate to direct the state of Rajasthan to take steps to ban mining in the core area of the reserve.”
Going by the contents of the application filed by lawyer-activist Sanjay Kumar, that were endorsed by the expert panel of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), the court constituted a three-member committee having the Collector, Sawai Madhopur; Field Director, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve; and a member of the CEC to suggest a way out for regulating devotees to the Trinetra Ganesha Temple, located 5 kilometres inside the Ranthambore national park, that can balance the protection of tigers and the needs of devotees.
The bench in its order passed on May 30, uploaded on Tuesday, noted that a similar problem that arose at Sariska Tiger Reserve was dealt by an order of the top court in December 2024 by forming a committee that suggested the entry of private vehicles be restricted at three entry points. It further directed that electric shuttle buses be used to ferry pilgrims to and from the temple, which is currently operational.
The bench, also comprising justices AG Masih and AS Chandurkar, said, “Taking into consideration the similarity of the situation (at Sariska), it will be appropriate that a committee of the following members is appointed, which can address the concerns with regard to the issue in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and recommend solutions in a phased manner– (i) the Collector, Sawai Madhopur; (ii) the Field Director, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve; and (iii) a member of the CEC.”
The court directed the committee to take into consideration the interests of the devotees while addressing the issue of conservation of the tiger reserve and “give suggestions which would balance the interest of the tiger reserve as well as the devotees”. Like the exercise conducted at Sariska where the Pandupole Hanuman Mandir was located inside the tiger reserve, the court directed the committee constituted for the Ranthambore reserve to give a hearing to the representatives of various stakeholders, including the representatives of the trust that manages the Trinetra Ganesha Temple.
The application filed by Kumar and argued by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal submitted that massive congestion of vehicles and pilgrims inside the Ranthambore reserve was exposing high-density tiger zones to intrusive human presence. Last month, a criminal case was lodged against a devotee for touching tiger cubs in the wild at Ranthambore while in April, a seven-year-old was killed by a tiger.
On Wednesdays alone, the number of pilgrims exceeds 10,000, and on Sundays, the figure touches nearly 6,000 with a regular weekday witnessing a footfall of around 2,500 visitors in a day, the application said. Further, a 6-kilometre road that serves as the primary approach route to the temple, falling within the core area, witnesses an alarming number of over 7,500 cars, taxis, motorcycles illegally parked.
“This influx of such large crowds results in multiple direct and indirect harms to the fragile ecosystem,” the court said, as it noted serious infractions with pilgrims stopping inside the reserve to cook food using firewood extracted illegally from the tiger reserve and disposal of large quantities of plastic waste.
Bansal, in his arguments on the application, highlighted the issue of illegal mining activities on approximately 150 hectares of land situated adjacent to Uliyana village within the critical tiger habitat. The mining operations involve usage of heavy machinery and repeated movement of dumpers and tractor trolleys, severely affecting the movement and behaviour of wild animals, particularly large carnivores such as tigers and leopards, which violates the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The application questioned the role of state officials in allowing such activities when the Tiger Conservation Plan prohibits any mining, construction or vehicular movement by private citizens inside the critical habitat.
The court directed the Rajasthan government to submit a status report in six weeks on the action taken to stop all mining activities inside the core area of the reserve.
Ranthambore is one of the country’s earliest tiger reserves, established in 1973, and lies at the intersection of two ancient mountain ranges, the Aravallis and the Vindhyas, and is situated at the confluence of seven river systems.