NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed that Rajasthan government to appoint a nodal officer in the Alwar district to deal with the increasing cases of illegal mining near the Sariska Tiger Reserve.During the hearing, the Rajasthan government denied that there was any illegal mining near Sariska Tiger Reserve adding that inspections were conducted and many steps were taken to prevent any kind of illegal activity within a 3-km radius of the tiger reserve.The bench, dissatisfied with the arguments of Rajasthan government, directed to appoint the nodal officer. A two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice B R Gavai and also comprising Justice Augustine George Masih passed the order while hearing pleas that claimed illegal mining activities within a kilometre of the tiger reserve despite the apex court’s ban on such activity. The petitioner’s lawyer alleged before the apex court that its directions of April 2023 for a ban on the mining activity within one kilometer of the reserve were being flouted.”They cannot do anything which will have an adverse effect on the critical tiger habitat without our permission,” the bench said.The top court in May last year held that if any illegal mining activity is done within the one-kilometer radius from the boundaries of critical tiger habitat of the reserve, it would be implied as contempt of court of its April 2023 order.
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