Supreme Court Takes Note Of News Report On Continued Illegal Mining In Chambal Sanctuary, Issues Further Directions

The Supreme Court today(May 26) took on record a news article by Hindustan Times relating to the use of unregistered vehicles for sand mining in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary(NCGS). It passed further directions in view of the continuing and grave concern relating to rampant illegal sand mining activities, degradation of protected wildlife habitats, operation of unregistered and unidentified vehicles, and the threat posed to the critical infrastructure in the affected regions.

At the outset, the bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta asked the Additional Solicitor General SV Raju(for State of Madhya Pradesh) if the read the Hindustan Times' report about pictures of unregistered vehicles moving around in the Morena district carrying river sand, despite the Supreme Court's earlier stringent orders to curb sand mining.

Justice Mehta told ASG Raju that the illegal miners have changed their routes due to the curbs imposed by the Court, but the issue continues to persist. Raju responded that he will go through the news report, but if the news is correct, it's "shocking". Justice Mehta added that if the report is true, false affidavits have been filed by the State of Madhya Pradesh.The Court has now asked the State's counsel to file a fresh affidavit giving a response to the said news report. 

In view of the continued rampant illegal sand mining activities, the bench expressed its intention to pass further directions to ensure "effective enforcement, institutional accountability and immediate operationalisation of surveillance and preventive measures on the ground".

Invoking its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution and in view of the effective implementation of the environmental and statutory safeguards in the affected regions, it passed the following directions:

1. The states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are directed to undertake immediate and effective steps for augmentation of the field-level enforcement officials in the respective forest departments, including recruitment to vacant posts of forest guards and other frontline enforcement personnel entrusted with protection, surveillance and patrolling duties in the affected regions.

The recruitment process in respect of such posts shall be expedited, and the concerned states shall ensure that the process for recruitment and filling up of the vacant posts is initiated, worked with and completed as far as practical within a period of one year from the date of this order.

"We therefore direct the Chief Secretaries of all three states, i.e., Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, to file affidavits detailing concrete measures for advanced identification of vacancies and initiation of recruitment process so that these crucial posts do not remain vacant except under compelling circumstances."

2. The states shall take immediate and effective steps for the establishment and operationalization of surveillance and monitoring infrastructure in the affected regions, including CCTV surveillance systems, integrated monitoring mechanisms, control centres, and allied technological infrastructure.

"The said process shall be undertaken on a war footing and all substantial surveillance measures proposed pursuant to the earlier orders of this Court shall be fast-tracked and operationalized as far as practical within a period of six months from the date of this order. "

3. The concerned authorities of the states are directed to undertake stringent, continuous and coordinated enforcement action against vehicles and machinery involved in illegal mining and transportation activities within and around the affected regions of the NCGS.

"The concerned authorities shall ensure immediate interception, seizure and initiation of confiscation proceedings in accordance with law against all vehicles including tractors, trolleys, excavators, dredgers, dumpers, loaders and other machinery found operating without valid registration particulars with fake or tampered number plates, without display of registration marks or otherwise in violation of the provisions of the MV 1988 and the Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989."

4. The concerned states shall ensure initiation of appropriate criminal prosecution under the relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, the Bharatiya Naya Sanhita 2023, the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act and other applicable statutory enactments not merely against the drivers of the vehicle involved in the illegal mining and transportation activities but also against the owners, financiers, operators, contractors and all other persons forming part of the vehicle.

5. The concerned states shall ensure that all FIRs and criminal proceedings related to illegal mining and transportation activities are effectively and comprehensively investigated not merely against the drivers of the vehicles involved but against the owners, financiers, operators, contractors and other persons involved in the illegal mining operations, including identification of ownership records of the vehicles involved in the illegal mining and transportation activities.

6 The concerned authorities shall further maintain complete pictures and records pertaining to seizure operations, confiscation proceedings, ownership details, prior violations, criminal antecedents and consequential enforcement actions undertaken in respect of such vehicles and machinery so as to facilitate coordinated investigation, monitoring and effective prosecution of persons involved in organized illegal mining activities

7. Having regard to the nature of duties discharged by forest guards and other frontline enforcement personnel and the increasing instances of attacks upon such personnel while undertaking anti-illegal mining activities, wildlife protection and forest enforcement operations, the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh shall examine the need for issuing appropriate notifications under Section 218(3) of the BNSS corresponding to Section 197(3) of the CRBC In respect of such categories of enforcement personnel as may be considered appropriate so as to uphold protection in respect of bona fide actions undertaken by them in discharge of their official duties, the decision taken by the respective states in this regard shall be placed on record by the affidavits by the next date of hearing.

8 The NHAI shall in consultation with the Central Law Power Committee undertake installation of high-resolution CCTV surveillance cameras equipped with night vision capability on appropriate high-mass structures on the bridge and covering the area extending up to 1 km upstream and 500 m downstream of the bridge situated on the National Highway 44 near the Morena-Dholpur border.

The surveillance infrastructure shall be positioned in a manner that effectively covers the riverbed and the vulnerable structures falling within the aforesaid zone so as to deter and detect illegal mining and excavation activities in the vicinity of the bridge foundations and supporting structures.

9. The live feed and surveillance access of the CCTV cameras installed pursuant to the aforesaid direction shall be made available by the NHAI to the Police Department, the Forest Department and or any other concerned enforcement authorities of the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh so as to facilitate coordinated monitoring, interception and enforcement action in relation to illegal mining and transportation activities in the affected region. The NHAI shall further ensure that appropriate access and connectivity mechanisms are established for uninterrupted sharing of surveillance data to the concerned authorities.

10. The surveillance infrastructure established by NHAI shall remain operational on a 24-hour basis. The NHAI shall further ensure that the surveillance system is equipped with adequate storage, backup and connectivity facilities so as to facilitate continuous monitoring, preservation of footage and effective coordination with the enforcement agencies in the event of any illegal activity being detected in the area concerned.

11. The NHAI to concerned state authorities and the district administrations shall undertake immediate measures to prevent dumping of waste, debris and other materials into the Chambal river from bridges and other public infrastructure falling within or adjoining the NCGS.

12. The NHAI shall install tamper-proof fencing, protective mesh or such other appropriate structures on the bridge concerned and shall ensure sealing of all gaps, openings and vulnerable locations so as to completely block all avenues through which the waste material may be discarded into the river.

13. The concerned authorities shall further undertake regular monitoring of such locations, install appropriate warning and awareness signage and ensure strict enforcement action including possession of penalties in accordance with law against persons found responsible for dumping waste or otherwise polluting the river ecosystem. 

14. The concerned states shall examine the feasibility of formulating appropriate special employment schemes, skill development programs and labour generation initiatives or effectively operationalizing and strengthening the existing welfare and employment schemes for providing sustainable employment opportunities to the persons residing in the sensitive regions affected by the rampant illegal mining activities so as to reduce economic dependence upon and local participation in such activities. The concerned states shall also explore the feasibility of involving local communities in conservation, afforestation, eco-tourism, surveillance support and environmentally stable activities of such illegal mining activities.

The Court is currently seized of the suo motu proceedings concerning the large-scale illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary spread across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, a critical habitat for endangered species, including the gharial, Ganges river dolphin and red-crowned roof turtle.

Case Details: IN RE: ILLEGAL SAND MINING IN THE NATIONAL CHAMBAL SANCTUARY AND THREAT TO ENDANGERED AQUATIC WILDLIFE Vs THE STATE OF RAJASTHAN|SMW(C) No. 2/2026 Diary No. 15656 / 2026