The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Jharkhand government to notify 126 compartments in the Saranda forest area as a wildlife sanctuary within three months, and prohibited any mining activity within a one-km radius of its boundary.

Observing that the state government cannot run away from its duty to declare the extent of 31,468.25 hectares as Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, however, excluded six compartments designated for mining.

"We direct that the state government shall notify the area comprising of 126 compartments as notified in 1968 notification, excluding six compartments i.e., compartment numbers KP-2, KP-10, KP-11, KP-12, KP-13 and KP-14, as a wildlife sanctuary within a period of three months fro

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