Current and former members of Gujarat’s State Board for Wildlife have urged the government to review mining
June 10, 2026: Seven present and former members of Gujarat’s State Board for Wildlife have submitted a representation to the state government seeking a review of several development-related permissions in and around the Gir landscape. The signatories expressed concern that mining activities, resort-related projects and the re-entry of Maldhari families into protected areas could negatively impact Asiatic lion habitats and critical wildlife corridors.
The representation specifically objected to a proposal for the diversion of 75 hectares of the Babarkot Reserve Forest near Rajula for mining purposes under the Forest Conservation Act. According to the members, the area is home to more than 50 Asiatic lions and forms part of a recognized lion corridor under the Gir Management Plan. They argued that describing the area as a non-corridor region in official documents does not reflect the actual ecological importance of the site.
The members also raised concerns about permissions granted for re-entry into protected areas and a proposed forest land diversion linked to a resort project near Khicha village in Amreli district. They warned that such decisions could undermine conservation efforts and set problematic precedents. Referring to ongoing Public Interest Litigations in the Gujarat High Court concerning lion corridors and unnatural lion deaths, the signatories cautioned that failure to address these issues could result in irreversible damage to the Gir Protected Area ecosystem.