Why in News?
The Supreme Court, on 4 August 2026, orally clarified that its February 2024 direction prohibiting mining activities within a 10-km radius of the Asan Wetland Conservation Reserve in Uttarakhand will also apply to other notified wetland conservation reserves across India.
Key Court Direction
The clarification extends the earlier interim order beyond the Asan Conservation Reserve and seeks to establish a uniform standard for regulating mining activities around notified wetland conservation reserves.
The move aims to ensure greater protection of ecologically sensitive wetland areas from the potential impacts of mining.
About Asan Conservation Reserve
- Location: Dehradun district, Uttarakhand.
- It was declared Uttarakhand’s first Ramsar Site in October 2020.
- Area: Approximately 444.4 hectares.
- It is located at the confluence of the Asan and Yamuna rivers.
- The wetland is an important wintering habitat for migratory birds.
What is a Ramsar Site?
A Ramsar Site is a wetland designated as being of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
The Ramsar Convention provides a framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and was adopted in 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.
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