The Supreme Court on Friday took suo motu cognisance of illegal sand mining in the national Chambal sanctuary.
A Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta noted the serious threat posed to endangered aquatic wildlife, including the critically endangered Gharial. The move follows some reports published in the newspapers.
"We have taken note of some recent newspaper reports and the report submitted by CSR, which mentioned that the entire protected areas, where gharial preservation programme was ongoing, were being rampantly mined and so the gharials had to relocate," observed the Court during Friday's hearing.
The Court said the matter would now be placed before the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant's Bench for further directions. Illegal sand mining has long been a major concern in the Chambal river region, which spans parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
The Chambal sanctuary is one of the last remaining habitats of the Gharial, a critically endangered crocodilian species, as well as other aquatic wildlife such as the Gangetic dolphin and the Indian skimmer.
Investigations and field reports over the last year have highlighted how sand mafia networks continue to operate in the region despite restrictions, often threatening officials and local residents. In some instances, forest personnel and police teams attempting to stop illegal mining have been attacked, underscoring the scale of the problem.
Authorities have periodically launched crackdowns and seized large quantities of illegally mined sand in the Chambal region, but officials acknowledge that the activity continues due to organised networks and high demand for construction material.
Environmentalists warn that unchecked sand extraction from riverbeds can destroy nesting sites and alter river flow, posing a severe threat to species such as the gharial, which depend on undisturbed sandbanks for breeding and survival.
Follow us
