Plan to declare part of Saranda reserve as sanctuary: Govt

JAMSHEDPUR: The Jharkhand government is exploring the possibility of setting up and declaring a part of the Saranda reserve forest, Asia’s biggest Saal tree forest, as a wildlife sanctuary soon.

The government revealed this in the state assembly on Tuesday in reply to a short-notice question by Jamshedpur (East) MLA Saryu Roy on Wednesday.

“The Kolkata bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the state government to consider setting up and declare Saranda forest as a wildlife sanctuary vide its order on July 12, 2022, in case (OA No: 59/2020/EZ). In the wake of this order, the state principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF, Wildlife) and chief wildlife warden (CWS) have directed the regional chief conservator of forest (RCCF), Singhbhum region, Jamshedpur, to undertake the exercise of finding the requirement and justification of declaring Saranda Forest as a Wildlife Sanctuary,” the state government stated in a written reply to Roy’s short notice question in the assembly.

Saranda reserve forest, spread over 816.6417 square km in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, is known as the land of 700 hills, with peaks ranging between 200 and 900 metres.

The reserve forest has also been a hub of Naxalites belonging to the Communist Party of India (Maoist), carrying out a few of the most bloody massacres of security forces in Bitkilsoy, Baliba, Thalkobad, etc.

The government informed the assembly that the process has been going on for animal census and data collection regarding relevant aspects at the level of the Saranda forest division.

Efforts are also being made to get the assistance of the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

“The government will decide on declaring Saranda as a wildlife sanctuary based on the animal census and data collected by Saranda Division and data analysis by the WII,” the state government stated in its reply, a copy of which is with HT.