The Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, Jamshedpur lies between Latitudes 22°46'30" and 22°57' N and Longitudes 86°3' 15" and 86°26'30" E in the East Singhbhum and Sariakela- Kharsawan districts of Jharkhand and extends over an area of 193.5077 square kilometers.

The Asian Elephant is the species of vital importance in Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary. Besides, some of the most endangered species like Ratel, Wild Dog, Mouse Deer, Indian Giant Squirrel, Python, Pangolin, Serpent Eagle, etc., are also found in this Sanctuary.

In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) read with clause (v) and clause (xiv) of sub - section (2) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) and sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, the Central Government has notified the area up to five kilometers from the boundary of the protected area of the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary in the State of Jharkhand as the Eco-sensitive Zone.

In terms of the Ministry of Environment and Forests notification dated the 29th March, 2012, no new polluting industries are to be allowed to be setup within the Eco-sensitive Zone. No mining activity except for bona-fide domestic use of the local residents shall be allowed within the Eco-sensitive Zone. No crushing activity shall be allowed within the Eco-sensitive Zone.

In spite of the above instructions, mining and crushing activities have been continuing in the Eco-sensitive zone of the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary. Mining on a mega scale, as would be evident from these photographs, was also going on in two villages Bamni (Thana No. 149/30) and Dhusra (Thana No. 163/44) of Patamda Block in the East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. Both the villages, Bamni and Dhusra, are in the list of enclave villages given in Annexure 2 to the Ministry of Environment and Forests Notification dated 29.03.2012.  

 

 

The matter was reported to several authorities like the Ministry of Environment & Forests, New Delhi, Director General of Forests, New Delhi, NABARD, Mumbai, the Commissioner (Kolhan Revenue Division) -cum- the Chairman, Dalma Eco-sensitive Zone Monitoring Committee, Chaibasa, West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, the Principal Secretary, Revenue and Land Reforms Department, Project Bhawan, Dhurwa, Ranchi, the Principal Secretary, Department of Forests and Environment, Nepal House, Doranda Ranchi, the Deputy Commissioner, East Singhbhum / Representative of the Department of Revenue, Government of Jharkhand – Member of the Dalma Eco-sensitive Zone Monitoring Committee, the Conservator of Forests, Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, East Singhbhum, Jharkhand, the Divisional Forest Officer, in-charge of the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary – Convener of the Dalma Eco-sensitive Zone Monitoring Committee, the Senior Superintendent of Police, East Singhbhum, the Forest Range Officer, Dalma, the Block Development Officer, Patamda Block, the Circle Officer, Patamda, the Officer-in-charge, Patamda Thana, the Mining Officer, East Singhbhum, etc.

 

 

The continuous reporting and use of RTI started putting pressure on the authorities and spurred them into action. In its meeting dated 11.11.2014, the Monitoring Committee of the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary Eco-sensitive Zone has constituted a ‘Task Force’ under the Chairmanship of the ADM, Law & Order, East Singhbhum, Jamshedpur for effective control over the prohibited activities like Brick kilns, crushers, mining etc. in the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary Eco-sensitive Zone, and for the closure of these prohibited activities situated in the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary Eco-sensitive Zone on an urgent basis.

 

The ‘Task Force’ is required to submit a list of all the prohibited activities / industries closed by it in the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary Eco-sensitive Zone in the next meeting of the Monitoring Committee through the Deputy Conservator of Forests and the Regional Director (Elephant Project), Jamshedpur -cum- Convener, Monitoring Committee.