Following illegal sand mining in the Chambal National Sanctuary and the murder of a forest guard in Morena, the Supreme Court of India issued a stern ultimatum to the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The court warned that if the situation does not improve, it may invoke its extraordinary powers to impose a complete ban on sand mining in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and, if necessary, deploy the Central Reserve Police Force across the Chambal region. The bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta said orders could be issued if conditions fail to improve by May 11.
The three states were directed to form joint patrol teams comprising police and forest officials to tackle the mining mafia, equipped with modern weapons, safety gear, and communication systems. The court also asked them to prepare a uniform Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure seamless inter-state action.
Vehicles seized in illegal mining operations will not be released without the approval of the Supreme Court. The states must also specify in their reports the locations of control rooms, CCTV coverage points, live-monitoring mechanisms, and coordination protocols between states.
High-resolution, Wi-Fi-enabled CCTV cameras will be installed in sensitive zones and mining routes, with monitoring by the Superintendent of Police and forest authorities. GPS tracking will be made mandatory for mining vehicles as part of a pilot project in Morena and Dholpur.
Joint armed patrol teams of police and forest departments will conduct round-the-clock surveillance. Any vehicles or machinery caught in illegal mining will be immediately seized and not released without court permission.
The court emphasized that the issue concerns environmental protection and the rule of law. Despite adequate legal provisions, bureaucratic inaction appears to signal tacit acceptance of the mining mafia. Officials have failed to take responsibility, the mafia remains armed, and field staff continue to face risks. The court questioned why officials should not face contempt proceedings for failing to enforce environmental compensation and orders under the “polluter pays” principle.
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