States Must Act Immediately Against Illegal Sand Mining; Environmental Protection Cannot Wait for Slow Administrative Timelines

Held: The Supreme Court held that illegal sand mining in and around the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary is not a routine law-and-order issue, but a serious environmental and constitutional concern affecting protected wildlife, river ecology, public infrastructure and rule of law. The Court held that the States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh cannot respond with slow, paper-based or delayed measures when illegal mining is continuing on the ground. It directed urgent action for CCTV surveillance, field-level enforcement, seizure and confiscation of illegal mining vehicles, prosecution of not only drivers but also owners, financiers and organisers, filling up of Forest Guard vacancies, protection of the NH-44 Chambal bridge, prevention of waste dumping into the river, and maintenance of environmental flows in the Chambal River.

Summary: The matter arose from the Supreme Court’s suo motu concern over illegal sand mining inside the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, an ecologically sensitive area that supports endangered species such as gharials, dolphins, turtles and other aquatic wildlife. The Court had earlier issued directions to the States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, but found that many measures remained only at an initial stage. The Court examined fresh compliance affidavits filed by the States and NHAI. Rajasthan placed on record financial approvals for surveillance systems, CCTV cameras, enforcement vehicles, check-posts and district task forces. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh reported challans, seizures and enforcement action, but the Court found that the specific problem of unregistered and unidentified vehicles used in illegal mining was still not properly addressed. The Court strongly observed that merely issuing challans or collecting small fines from such vehicles is ineffective because illegal mining networks treat these penalties as a small cost of doing business. The Court also considered the risk caused by illegal excavation near the NH-44 bridge over the Chambal River, the need for CCTV monitoring by NHAI, the problem of waste being thrown from the bridge into the river, the shortage of Forest Guards and frontline personnel, and the need to maintain environmental flows in the Chambal River and its tributaries.

Decision: The Supreme Court issued detailed continuing directions under Article 142 of the Constitution. It directed Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to expedite recruitment of Forest Guards and frontline enforcement staff, preferably within one year, and to operationalise CCTV and surveillance infrastructure within six months. The States were directed to take strict action against vehicles and machinery used in illegal mining, including interception, seizure, confiscation and criminal prosecution not only of drivers but also of owners, financiers, contractors and organisers behind the illegal mining network. The Court directed digital records of seizures, ownership details and prior violations to be maintained. It also directed the States to examine protection for forest personnel under Section 218(3) BNSS, asked NHAI to install night-vision CCTV cameras covering the NH-44 bridge and the area up to 1 kilometre upstream and 500 metres downstream, and directed steps to stop waste dumping into the Chambal River from bridges. The Court further directed the concerned States, Ministry of Jal Shakti and Central Water Commission to file affidavits on environmental flows in the Chambal River and its tributaries, impleaded the Ministry of Jal Shakti and Central Water Commission, sought periodic compliance reports, issued notice on the forest employees’ welfare application, and listed the matter for further consideration on 22 July 2026.