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- The Forest Department has launched efforts to update the boundaries of the Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary to address ongoing legal issues.
- About Nahargarh Wildlife Sanctuary:
- Located in the Aravalli hills, approximately 20 kilometers from Jaipur, Rajasthan.
- The sanctuary takes its name from Nahargarh Fort, a historic structure built in the 18th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur.
- The area spans 720 hectares.
- The Nahargarh Biological Park, which is part of the sanctuary, is renowned for its lion safaris.
- Flora: The landscape is primarily made up of dry deciduous forests, scrublands, and grasslands.
- Fauna:
- Commonly found species include leopards, wild boars, deer, lions, tigers, sloth bears, and various small mammals.
- Bird enthusiasts will find a rich variety of species, such as peacocks, owls, and eagles.
- The sanctuary also supports reptiles like Indian rock pythons, monitor lizards, and amphibians like frogs and toads.
- The Supreme Court clarified that there cannot be more than one decree or operative order concerning the same matter at any given time, explaining the impact of merging the trial court's decree with the one issued by the High Court in second appeals.
- About the Doctrine of Merger:
- The Doctrine of Merger is a principle rooted in common law, aimed at preserving the order within the judicial hierarchy.
- It asserts that when an appellate court issues a ruling, the decree from the lower court merges with the appellate court's decision.
- The core rationale behind this doctrine is that only one decree or operative order can govern a subject matter at any particular moment.
- It resolves the question of which order should take precedence when multiple decisions are issued by both lower and higher courts on the same issue.
- The doctrine specifies that, in such cases, the superior court's ruling prevails, and the lower court’s decree merges with the higher court's decision.
- While not codified by statute, the doctrine reflects judicial propriety and aims to enforce discipline in the functioning of subordinate judicial bodies, whether judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative.
- The doctrine is not universally applicable and is subject to the nature of the jurisdiction exercised by the higher court and the specifics of the case being challenged.
- The Director of the Andaman and Nicobar Tribal Research Institute (ANTRI) recently highlighted the key findings of his report on the Shompens, one of the most prominent indigenous communities residing in the remote forests and coastal areas of Great Nicobar Island (GNI).
- About the Shompens:
- The Shompens are considered one of the most isolated tribes in the world.
- They are among the least studied of India’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
- They inhabit the dense tropical rainforests of Great Nicobar Island, part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. About 95% of the island is covered by these rainforests.
- While the Shompens and Nicobarese both share Mongoloid ancestry, their origins are distinct.
- The Shompen's habitat is also a significant biological hotspot, featuring two National Parks and one Biosphere Reserve: Campbell Bay National Park, Galathea National Park, and the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve.
- Population: According to the 2011 Census, the Shompen population was estimated at 229, but the exact number remains uncertain today.
- The majority of the Shompen continue to live deep within the forests and have minimal or no contact with the outside world.
- They are a nomadic, hunter-gatherer community, living in small groups. Their territories are defined by the rivers that run through the rainforest.
- Being nomadic, they establish temporary forest camps where they live for several weeks or months before relocating to another area.
- They gather a variety of plants from the rainforest, with pandanus fruit, known locally as larop, being their primary food source.
- In addition, they cultivate small gardens, growing crops like lemons, chillies, and betel.
- The Shompen speak their own language, which has multiple dialects. Members from different groups often cannot understand each other’s dialects.
- Physical Appearance and Social Structure:
- The Shompen are of short to medium height with round or broad head shapes, narrow noses, broad facial profiles, and typical Mongoloid features, such as light brown to yellow-brown skin and slanted eyes.
- They live in nuclear families, consisting of a husband, wife, and their unmarried children.
- The family structure is led by the eldest male, who oversees the activities of women and children.
- While monogamy is the general practice, polygamy is also permitted.
- Culture and Beliefs:
- The Shompen worship the moon, referred to as Houou, whom they believe is the creator of the universe.