Supreme Court Demands Urgent Action Against Illegal Sand Mining Threatening River Ecosystems
Supreme Court's Directive on Sand Mining
New Delhi: On Tuesday, the Supreme Court instructed the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to provide a report regarding the detrimental effects of sand mining from riverbeds, emphasizing the urgent need to halt these activities.
Established in 2002 by the Supreme Court's directive, the CEC became a statutory body in 2023. Its main function is to advise the court on environmental and forest-related writ petitions and to ensure compliance with its orders.
The court also mandated that the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh submit compliance affidavits within two weeks, detailing their adherence to environmental protections in areas surrounding the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, which is severely impacted by illegal sand mining.
This directive was part of a suo motu case titled 'In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife.'
During the proceedings, the bench was informed about a plea requesting immediate action to cease illegal sand mining in the Ken River, located in Madhya Pradesh's Panna district.
The court remarked, "Our focus must be on sand mining from riverbeds, as it poses a significant threat. It disrupts river flow and severely impacts the river ecosystem."
Senior advocate Nikhil Goel, serving as an amicus curiae, suggested that the court might want to broaden the scope of the case to encompass illegal sand mining activities.
The bench insisted on receiving a detailed report from the CEC regarding sand mining practices.
Additionally, the court addressed a recent incident where a forest ranger was killed in Rajasthan while attempting to prevent illegal mining activities.
The Supreme Court noted the rampant movement of vehicles transporting illegally mined sand within the state.
"We will not allow the rivers of the state to be destroyed in this manner. This situation is unacceptable," the bench stated.
The court reiterated that Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh must comply with its previous directives regarding the suo motu case.
The states were instructed to submit their compliance affidavits within two weeks.
The matter is scheduled for a hearing on November 4, with the CEC tasked to report on sand mining from riverbeds.
The Madhya Pradesh government was also asked to respond to allegations of illegal sand mining in the Ken River.
In a previous hearing in July, the Supreme Court had indicated that preventive detention orders should be issued against individuals facilitating illegal sand mining, as they are depleting natural resources and warrant no leniency.
The National Chambal Sanctuary, also known as the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, spans 5,400 square kilometers across three states. It is home to endangered species such as the gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle, and the Ganges river dolphin.
Situated along the Chambal River, near the junction of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, the sanctuary was designated as a protected area in 1978 and is now jointly managed by the three states.
In May, the Supreme Court issued several directives aimed at enforcing environmental protections in areas affected by illegal sand mining within and around the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary.
The court called for immediate and effective measures to enhance field-level enforcement personnel in the respective forest departments, including filling vacant positions for forest guards and other enforcement roles.
It also mandated stringent, ongoing enforcement actions against vehicles and machinery involved in illegal mining and transportation in the affected regions.
The court directed that appropriate criminal charges be filed not only against the drivers of vehicles engaged in illegal activities but also against the owners, financiers, operators, contractors, and anyone else involved in the organized illegal mining network.