HOLD THEM SACRED

The Supreme Court has recommended that the Union government create a comprehensive policy for the governance and management of sacred groves across the country

- HIMANSHU N

A SUPREME COURT judgement passed on December 18, 2024, has the potential to alter the way sacred groves are identified, governed and protected in India. Sacred groves are patches of land mostly dedicated by local communities to deities, nature or ancestral spirits, and are often preserved with near-natural state of vegetation. In its judgement on December 18, 2024, the apex court has directed the forest department of Rajasthan to identify and notify sacred groves in the state, with detailed on-ground and satellite mapping. The court has also recommended that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) create a comprehensive policy for the governance and management of sacred groves across the country. “As part of this policy, the MOEFCC must also develop a plan for a nationwide survey of sacred groves, by whatever name they are identified in each state. This survey should identify their area, location, and extent, and clearly mark their boundaries,” the judgement says.

Citing provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act (FRA), 2006, which recognises the rights of tribal communities over forest resources, the apex court directed Rajasthan to identify traditional communities that have historically protected sacred groves and designate the areas as “Community Forest resource” under FRA. “These communities have shown a strong cultural and ecological commitment to conservation, and their role as custodians should be formally recognised,” says the judgement. “As per Section 5 of the Forest Rights Act, they should also be empowered, along with Gram Sabhas and local institutions, to continue protecting wildlife, biodiversity, and natural resources. Granting them the authority to regulate access and prevent harmful activities would preserve their legacy of stewardship,” says the judgement.