What is the SC directive on sacred groves?

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 10)

 Supreme Court’s Order on Sacred Groves

• On December 18, 2024, the Supreme Court ordered the Forest Department of Rajasthan to map sacred groves.
• Sacred groves will be classified as ‘forests’ and notified as ‘community reserves’ under the Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA) 1972.
• This decision moves the control from community management to forest officials for conservation.
• This clashes with the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, which supports community rights over forest lands.
• Rajasthan has around 25,000 sacred groves, covering six lakh hectares of land.

Background of the Case

• In the 1990s, the Supreme Court defined ‘forest land’ to include any land recorded as forest by the government.
• In 2004, the Rajasthan government identified some sacred groves as ‘deemed forests’ based on a narrow criterion.
• The Supreme Court disagreed, insisting on a broader definition of forest land.
• In 2018, the Court directed Rajasthan to follow this broader definition.

What are Sacred Groves?

• Sacred groves are patches of forest managed by local communities through traditions and beliefs.
• They are protected by customs, with no resource extraction allowed except for medicinal plants.
• Sacred groves are biodiversity hotspots and often linked to temples, shrines, or pilgrimage sites.
• India has 1 to 10 lakh sacred groves, the highest in the world.
• They help control floods, droughts, and soil erosion, and support local wildlife.

What are Community Reserves?

• The WLPA 2002 introduced ‘community reserves’ as a type of protected area.
• These reserves are set up by communities to conserve wildlife and habitats.
• Rules in community reserves prevent activities like poaching, fire-setting, and habitat destruction.
• A management committee oversees the reserve, with local community members and officials.

Conflict with the Forest Rights Act (FRA)

• Sacred groves are considered ‘community forest resources’ under the FRA.
• The FRA gives gram sabhas (village councils) the right to manage these resources.
• Under FRA, sacred groves fall under the control of local communities, not the Forest or Wildlife Department.
• By classifying them as community reserves, the Forest Department’s control conflicts with community rights.

Conclusion

• The Supreme Court’s decision to classify sacred groves as community reserves may clash with the FRA.
• This creates a conflict between modern conservation methods and traditional community management of sacred groves.