Stories
Supreme Court Demands CEC Report on Destructive Riverbed Sand Mining
- •The Supreme Court directed the Central Empowered Committee to submit a report on riverbed sand mining, emphasizing its disastrous impact on river ecosystems.
- •Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh were ordered to file compliance affidavits within two weeks regarding safeguards in the National Chambal Sanctuary.
- •The top court is hearing a suo motu case concerning illegal sand mining and threats to endangered aquatic wildlife like gharials and Ganges river dolphins.
- •The bench expressed strong concern over rampant illegal mining vehicles and the recent killing of a forest ranger in Rajasthan.
- •Authorities were previously instructed to initiate criminal prosecution against all individuals involved in organized illegal mining networks, not just vehicle drivers.
Key Questions Answered
The Supreme Court asked the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to submit a specific report on riverbed sand mining, emphasizing that it has a disastrous effect on river flows and ecosystems. Additionally, the top court directed Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh to file compliance affidavits within two weeks concerning environmental safeguards in and around the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary.
The National Chambal Sanctuary, also known as the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a 5,400-square-kilometer tri-state protected area co-administered by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Established initially in Madhya Pradesh in 1978, it is home to endangered species including the gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle, and the Ganges river dolphin.
The Supreme Court directed the three states to augment field-level enforcement officials by filling vacant forest guard positions and to take coordinated action against vehicles and machinery involved in illegal mining. The court also called for preventive detention orders against those facilitating illegal mining activities in the region, and previously mandated high-resolution Wi-Fi CCTV cameras along frequent illegal mining routes.
