The Supreme Court of India condemned illegal sand mining in the Chambal Sanctuary, calling it “an extremely sad state of affairs” harming fragile ecosystems. The Bench warned “mining mafia are the new dacoits,” highlighting threats to endangered gharials and unchecked environmental damage.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court strongly condemned widespread illegal sand mining in the Chambal sanctuary, calling the situation “an extremely sad state of affairs” and warning that the “mining mafia are the new dacoits.”
A bench composed of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta heard the suo motu case concerning extensive unlawful mining that is damaging the fragile Chambal river ecosystem, particularly habitats of the endangered gharial.
In a notable interim order, the Court stayed a December 23, 2025 Rajasthan notification issued under Section 18 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, that would have de-notified parts of the sanctuary.
Expressing strong disapproval of the State’s unilateral action, the Bench said,
“The de-notification is a serious issue. They could not have done it on their own. It’s illegal. The State is in hot waters, hot waters of Chambal,”
The Court stressed the ecological urgency, warning that gharials are “on the verge of extinction,” and cautioned against weakening protections for lands reserved for endangered species. The Amicus Curiae told the Court that a joint committee report submitted earlier identified specific GPS coordinates in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where illegal sand mining had been occurring since 2022. That report was filed before the National Green Tribunal, but the States had not taken sufficient action.
The Court ordered the States to explain the measures taken in response to that report. Pointing out regulatory shortcomings, the Amicus noted Rajasthan had still not declared eco-sensitive zones for the sanctuary, despite its spread across 12 districts. It was also mentioned that Madhya Pradesh had earlier moved to de-notify land but later retracted the proposal. The Bench took serious note of visual evidence showing mining operations.
The Court observed,
“There are videos that are literally terrifying. Animals are moving around while earthmovers are extracting sand from the river, passing through police stations and mining outposts,”
The Amicus further described the scale of lawlessness, saying those engaged in illegal mining are often more heavily armed than enforcement personnel. The Court acknowledged the severity of the problem, observing that several officials including SDMs, police officers and forest staff have been killed in clashes with mining mafias, particularly in Rajasthan.
Critically, the Bench stated, “State governments have completely forgotten that there is a law called preventive detention,” recalling a prior instance in Jaisalmer when such measures helped curb similar lawlessness.
When Uttar Pradesh’s counsel claimed there was no mining in the State, the Court rejected the claim, noting that illegally extracted sand from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh was ultimately transported to and used in Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing Madhya Pradesh’s counsel, the Court remarked,
“It is an extremely sad state of affairs that a State government says it cannot defend its natural resources. What follows is absolute anarchy.”
The Court directed the concerned States Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to file detailed responses within four weeks. Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have already filed affidavits; Madhya Pradesh was granted additional time. The Court also instructed the Additional Solicitor General to obtain instructions from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and submit an affidavit.
The National Board for Wildlife has been impleaded as a respondent and given notice returnable by May 11. Importantly, the Court transferred to itself the proceedings pending before the National Green Tribunal in Original Application No. 248/2022 to consolidate oversight. The case is scheduled for further hearing on May 11.
In March, the Court had already criticized authorities in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh over persistent illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary, warning that officials might be held vicariously liable for destruction of protected wildlife habitats due to “lethargy and inaction.” The Bench had indicated that it would issue comprehensive, stringent directions after reviewing responses from all stakeholders.
Notably, on March 13 the Court had taken suo motu notice of alleged illegal sand mining in the sanctuary, expressing concern about the threat to endangered aquatic wildlife, particularly the critically endangered gharial, and flagging reports that extensive mining was taking place in areas designated for gharial conservation. The Chambal River remains one of the few relatively free-flowing rivers in northern India and supports the world’s largest surviving gharial population, a species classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.
Case Title: In Re: Illegal Sand Mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered Aquatic Wildlife