Supreme Court Flags Illegal Sand Mining Threat In National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary
Supreme Court warns illegal sand mining threatens Chambal Sanctuary’s ecosystem and gharial conservation efforts.
The Supreme Court of India has described rampant illegal riverbed sand mining in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary as an “environmental crisis”, warning that unchecked activity is endangering one of the country’s most critical conservation zones and threatening endangered aquatic wildlife, including the gharial species.
A Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta strongly criticised the governments of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh for failing to effectively curb illegal mining activities within the sanctuary. The court ordered the installation of high-resolution, Wi-Fi-enabled CCTV cameras along routes frequently used for sand transportation and mining operations.
The Bench further directed that live surveillance feeds from these cameras be placed under the supervision of senior district police officials and forest authorities, including the Superintendent or Senior Superintendent of Police and the Divisional Forest Officer. The court instructed that dedicated personnel be deployed to ensure continuous monitoring and rapid response to violations.
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Calling the situation grave, the court observed that illegal mining in the riverbed has created widespread environmental damage in the 5,400 sq km tri-state sanctuary, which spans Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh along the Chambal River. The region is a key habitat for endangered species such as the gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle, and the Ganges river dolphin.
The order came in a suo motu case titled In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife, which was initiated after the court took cognisance of media reports on March 13. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on May 11.
The court also directed authorities to take strict legal action in all detected cases of illegal mining, including seizure of vehicles and machinery and prosecution of offenders. It emphasised that the protection of the sanctuary is a statutory and ecological responsibility of the state governments, which are obligated to ensure the preservation of its fragile ecosystem.
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