Guwahati, Aug. 4 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday orally clarified that its direction restricting mining activities within a 10-km radius of Uttarakhand's Asan Wetland Conservation Reserve would apply to wetland conservation reserves across the country to ensure parity.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made the observation while hearing an application filed by the Himachal Pradesh government, which argued that the restriction imposed around the Asan wetland should not automatically extend to the state.

"Wherever it is a community or a wetland conservation reserve, Asan [directions] will be applied. Wetlands are in a different category. We are conscious of the extent to which we are laying d...