SC directs state to grant legal protection to Orans as forests

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Rajasthan government to grant legal protection to sacred groves, or Orans, in the state as "forests" by undertaking a district-wise mapping of such lands not based on their size but on their ecological and cultural significance, while observing these groves are pivotal to biodiversity preservation.

- Abraham Thomas

NEW DELHI:

Orans are traditional sacred groves found in Rajasthan. They are preserved and managed by rural communities through institutions and codes that mark such forests as sacred.

"Given their ecological, cultural, and spiritual significance, Oran lands must be granted the legal status of 'forests' under the Forest Conservation Act. This designation would not only ensure their protection against encroachment and degradation but also reinforce community participation in sustainable forest management," a bench headed by justice Bhushan R Gavai said.

The court noted that similar to Orans in Rajasthan, such community forests or sacred groves are known by diverse names in other states, for instance Devban in Himachal Pradesh, Devarakadu in Karnataka, Kavu in Kerala, Sarna in Madhya Pradesh, Devrai in Maharashtra, Umanglai in Manipur, Gramthan in West Bengal, and Pavithravana in Andhra Pradesh.