10 km radius buffer for mining extends to all wetland reserves, says SC

On August 4, 2026, the Supreme Court clarified that its earlier restriction on mining within a 10-km radius of the Asan Wetland Conservation Reserve would also apply to similarly situated wetland conservation reserves.

About Asan Wetland Conservation Reserve

• It is a freshwater wetland located near the confluence of the Asan and Yamuna rivers in Dehradun district, Uttarakhand.
• It was designated as a Ramsar Site in 2020 and covers approximately 444 hectares.
• It is an Important Bird Area and provides habitat to numerous resident and migratory waterbirds.

Supreme Court’s Direction

• No mining activity may be undertaken within a 10-km radius of the reserve without prior approval from the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife and/or the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• The Court observed that the Ramsar status of a wetland requires greater scrutiny of activities capable of damaging its ecological character.
• The clarification promotes parity in the protection of wetland conservation reserves rather than limiting the safeguard only to the Asan Wetland.

What is a Wetland?

• A wetland is an area of land that remains saturated or covered with water, either permanently or seasonally.
• Wetlands include lakes, rivers, aquifers, marshes, swamps, peatlands, floodplains, mangroves, estuaries, coral reefs and human-made water bodies.
• They are broadly classified as inland wetlands, coastal or marine wetlands, and human-made wetlands.

Wetlands in India

• India’s wetlands include Himalayan high-altitude wetlands, river floodplains, coastal lagoons, mangroves, marshes and coral reefs.
• Wetlands cover approximately 4.6%–4.9% of India’s geographical area.
• As of August 2026, India has 101 Ramsar Sites, with Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh becoming the latest addition.
• Tamil Nadu has the highest number of Ramsar Sites in India, with 20 sites.

Significance of the Direction

• It strengthens preventive protection against mining-related ecological degradation.
• It recognises wetlands as sensitive ecosystems requiring safeguards beyond their notified boundaries.
• It may promote greater consistency in the conservation of wetland reserves across different States.
• It reinforces India’s obligations relating to the protection and wise use of Ramsar wetlands.