"OPINION | Green Energy Versus Sacred Ecology: The battle over Rajasthan’s Orans", 22 May 2026

India’s strong push for solar energy in recent years is usually projected as a resounding success. Yet, in Rajasthan, often called India’s renewable energy hub, farmers are repeatedly resisting solar projects that are seen as a growing threat to their Orans — sacred groves widely regarded as lifelines of the mighty Thar Desert. Residents of western Rajasthan have held numerous protests in recent years to demand the protection of Orans, which people believe are in danger of destruction as their lands are allotted for solar energy projects that have led to the felling of countless trees.

In this context, a recent intervention by the Rajasthan High Court in halting tree felling and scrutinising land allotted for solar projects in Jaisalmer is a watershed moment for India’s renewable energy journey…

The court’s order came on a PIL alleging that land allocated for a solar project linked to the Adani Group was, in fact, Oran land. The court stayed tree felling and ordered an expert committee to examine whether the land qualifies as an Oran, recognising both its ecological and cultural importance…

… Legal ambiguity surrounding Orans worsens this crisis, as most sacred groves are not recorded as forests in government documents. Instead, they are classified under revenue categories such as Charagah (grazing land) or wasteland. This misclassification allows authorities to allot these lands for solar parks and other industrial projects.

What complicates this legal lacuna further is that solar projects currently do not require environmental clearance under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, unlike other developmental projects such as highways and hydropower projects…

… The challenge is not choosing between solar energy and Orans. It is about designing a model where both can coexist through accurate mapping, legal recognition of community lands, and inclusive consultation with local stakeholders. A sustainable future for Rajasthan lies not in massive solar parks that destroy sacred groves, but in decentralised, community-owned solar projects that integrate with traditional wisdom and landscapes…