The Supreme Court on Thursday (May 14, 2026) summoned senior bureaucrats from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh over rampant illegal sand mining in the Chambal National Sanctuary and the states’ “continued inaction” to check the mining mafia. Spread over the territory of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the sanctuary is India’s first and only riverine protected area in three states.
Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and Vijay Bishnoi observed that the Rajasthan government had shown a “completely casual, uncaring and uncaring attitude” to complying with the court’s earlier directions aimed at stopping “irreversible environmental degradation” at the sanctuary.
“Such continued inaction, despite serious concerns on record and directions issued by this court, shows a disturbing lack of seriousness and intent on the part of the state machinery in dealing with matters directly related to environmental management, public safety and the rule of law itself,” the Bench said.
Accordingly, it directed Rajasthan’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home), along with the Principal Secretaries of Mines and Geology, Finance, Forest, Environment and Climate Change and Transport and Road Safety to appear before the court in person on May 20 with individual affidavits detailing its earlier directions.
“Additional Chief Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs; Principal Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Geology; Principal Secretary, Finance Department; Principal Secretary, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department; and Principal Secretary, Department of Transport and Road Safety, State of Rajasthan are directed to remain personally present before this Court on the next date of hearing.” The above-mentioned officials will further list comprehensive individual steps in the record of the fulfillment of this affidavit. said Lavička.
The bench further noted that while the Madhya Pradesh government had begun the process of strengthening surveillance of vulnerable stretches and roads prone to illegal sand mining within the sanctuary, compliance remained at a “nascent stage” and “substantial measures” were yet to be put into practice.
Accordingly, it directed the principal secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Department of Transport and Road Safety to remain personally present before the court on May 20 along with a detailed affidavit specifically addressing the concerns raised by the Bench.
The directions were issued in a suo motu proceeding initiated following reports highlighting rampant illegal sand mining in the Chambal sanctuary spread over the districts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The court had earlier ordered states to deploy specialized round-the-clock patrolling teams equipped with modern weapons and communication systems in vulnerable areas.
On Thursday, the Bench underlined that the affidavits to be filed by senior bureaucrats must specifically reveal the measures taken to identify and curtail the operation of unregistered and unidentified vehicles allegedly involved in illegal mining and transportation.
The Court further made clear that it intended to enforce strict liability by requiring states to disclose actions brought against erring officials and violators. He also ordered the authorities to indicate a “certain timeline” in which the preventive measures earlier ordered by the court would be comprehensively implemented.
“Erosion of the Rule of Law”
The bench pointed out that these directions have assumed even more “significance” as several officials tasked with enforcement duties have either lost their lives or sustained serious injuries while trying to curb illegal sand mining. This, the court said, revealed a “deeply disturbing state of affairs” and a “serious erosion of the rule of law”.
The judges also pointed out that in a large number of criminal cases registered in connection with such illegal operations, the investigating agencies seem to be restricting prosecution to vehicle drivers only, without making any meaningful effort to identify and prosecute the “characters/masterminds” of such organized crime networks.
“Such an inadequate pattern of investigation cannot prima facie be considered a mere coincidence or an inadvertent omission, but raises serious apprehensions of willful inaction and possible connivance at various levels of the administrative and enforcement machinery,” the Bench said.
NHAI pleaded
Earlier, senior advocate amicus curiae Nikhil Goel had informed the Bench that illegal sand miners were excavating under the foundation pillars of the Chambal river bridge connecting Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The court described the revelations as “shocking” and noted that they point to a “complete failure” of the state machinery.
Due to concerns regarding the structural integrity of the bridge, the court in the proceedings pleaded with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and sought its response on the safeguards proposed to protect the structure.
“The NHAI shall submit a detailed affidavit on or before the next date of hearing, specifically stating the measures taken or proposed to ensure the structural integrity and safety of the above bridge in view of the ongoing illegal mining activities in its vicinity,” the Bench said.
The court also directed the NHAI to examine the feasibility of installing appropriate CCTV and surveillance infrastructure on and around the bridge to monitor mining operations and vehicular movement in real time.
The sanctuary serves as a critical habitat and breeding ground for the critically endangered gharial, or fish-eating crocodile. It is also host to rich biodiversity, including mud crocodile robbers, river dolphins, smooth-coated otters, Indian skimmers, black-bellied terns, sarus cranes, black-necked storks and several species of freshwater turtles, including the endangered red-crowned turtle.
The Supreme Court had earlier reminded the three states in its triple nexus with the sanctuary that any act leading to the destruction of wildlife habitats in the protected area would attract criminal consequences under several environmental laws, including the Wildlife Conservation Act 1972 and the Environment Protection Act 1986.
Published – 14 May 2026 22:43 IST
