Rajasthan begins designating ‘Oran’ areas as forests pursuant to SC directive.

• The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan is implementing the process to classify community-protected ‘Oran’ lands as forests.

• The Supreme Court recognized ‘Oran’ lands as forests under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

• The government is tasked with mapping the sacred groves and implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Central Empowered Committee’s report.

• ‘Orans’ are patches of forests dedicated to different deities and managed by rural communities.

• The state’s forest policy of 2023 gave ‘Orans’ the status of general community land, which was deemed insufficient for their conservation and protection against encroachment and degradation.