In Brief
A mining lease applicant sought permission to conduct mining 2.26 kilometers from the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary, claiming it fell outside the Court's one-kilometer prohibition zone from Protected Areas. The Supreme Court rejected the application, clarifying that mining is prohibited within notified Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) regardless of distance from the Protected Area boundary. The one-kilometer distance rule extends beyond ESZ boundaries only where the ESZ itself is less than one kilometer from the sanctuary. Since mining is explicitly prohibited within ESZs under the 2011 Guidelines and specific ESZ notifications, no mining is permitted in ESZ areas, even if beyond one kilometer from the Protected Area boundary. The Court emphasized strict adherence to all prohibited activities listed in ESZ notifications.
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