New Delhi, 17 April (H.S.): The Supreme Court has pulled up Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh over rampant illegal sand mining in the Chambal wildlife sanctuary, directing the three states to install high‑resolution CCTV cameras on elevated poles and fit GPS tracking devices on all mining and transport vehicles in the region.A bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath warned that officers will be held personally accountable if unlawful mining continues, and set the next date of hearing for May 11.

The Court ordered that the states ensure high‑resolution CCTV cameras are installed over affected stretches of the Chambal area, with live feeds placed under the direct supervision of the district Superintendent of Police or SSP and the concerned forest officer. Any violation of these directions will be treated as contempt, and the judges cautioned that strict action will follow against defaulting officials.

The bench further directed that GPS tracking devices be fitted on every machine used in mining activities—tractors, earth movers, loaders, and other earth‑moving equipment—so that their movement can be monitored in real time.

The Court made it clear that every vehicle passing through the Chambal belt must be equipped with a tracker, to enforce effective control over the illegal transport of sand and gravel.

Strong language on “mining dacoits” and state failure

Earlier in the proceedings, the Court had remarked that the Chambal mining mafia are the “new dacoits” of the river, flagging the severe ecological damage to wildlife and the river ecosystem caused by unchecked extraction.

It noted that illegal miners in Rajasthan have been resorting to violence, including the killing of police, forest, and administrative officers, and have even attempted to carve out more than 732 hectares of sanctuary land by diluting its protected status—a move the Court stayed in April.

The judges also recalled an incident in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, where bandits reportedly ran over a forest guard with a tractor‑trolley, and snapped at state authorities that if the machinery of government cannot protect its own officials and natural resources, its very legitimacy is in question.

The bench warned that senior officers in the forest, mining, water‑resources, and police departments will be held responsible if illegal mining does not stop.

In addition to the three riparian states, the Court has asked the Central Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to file a detailed response, framing the case as a matter of national‑level environmental governance. The states have been directed to submit affidavits certifying compliance with the new orders, including the deployment of CCTV coverage and GPS‑enabled monitoring, so that the Court can track enforcement on the ground.

Environmental activists and legal observers say the rulings mark a significant step toward making illegal mining both visible and legally actionable, but stress that the real test will lie in sustained implementation and political will, especially in districts where the “sand mafia” enjoys entrenched influence.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar