Environmentalists demand action to protect Oran lands

JAIPUR: The “Oran Bachao” march, led by environmentalists and residents from Jaisalmer and nearby areas seeking stronger protection for traditional grazing lands and forest areas in Rajasthan, reached Jaipur Thursday. They gathered in front of Bhawani Niketan on Sikar Road and held a demonstration.The procession, which saw participation from across the state, aimed to highlight the need for conservation and formal recognition of Oran lands in revenue records to prevent encroachment. However, it was stopped by police near Bhawani Niketan before it could proceed towards the Chief Minister’s residence.Protesters raised concerns over the absence of a clear policy and alleged encroachments on unrecorded Oran lands, particularly impacting rural and border communities.Sumer Singh, who initiated the march, said, “We were not allowed to meet the Chief Minister or any senior government representatives. We are returning to Jaisalmer and will devise a new strategy.”The demonstrators said they began their march on January 21 from the Tanot Mata Temple in Jaisalmer and have now reached Jaipur. Walking barefoot through harsh winter and the ongoing extreme heat, they said their struggle is aimed at protecting Orans, grazing lands, khejri trees, rivers, drains, and ponds. A protester said, “If the government fails to take a timely decision on their demands, the agitation will be intensified further.”The memorandum submitted by the protesters focuses on securing legal and ecological protection for traditional grazing lands and water systems in Jaisalmer. It calls for all Orans (sacred groves), gochar (grazing lands), ponds, catchment areas, khadins, rivers, drains, wells, and other common resources to be properly recorded in revenue records.It seeks correction of existing records in Jaisalmer, protection of key pastoral villages, and formal recognition of shepherd settlements and traditional pathways. Additionally, the memorandum demands that solar parks be established only in areas with low population and livestock density, and that industrial allotments be located at least 3km away from village settlements. It further calls for documentation of heritage structures such as chhatris, temples, inscriptions, and memorials in official records.The protesters raised the issue of the proposed bill for the protection of the khejri tree, stating that despite assurances by the government to introduce it in the Assembly, it has not yet been implemented. Members of the Bishnoi community and other groups have previously agitated on this issue, but the announcements have not translated into action on the ground.