NEW DELHI: Illegal sand mining in the river bed has created an “environmental crisis” and wreaked “havoc” in the Chambal Gharial National Park, causing grave danger to the gharial conservation project, the Supreme Court said on Friday.
The Supreme Court criticized the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for their complete failure to deal with the issue and directed them to install HD, Wi-Fi-enabled surveillance cameras along all roads frequently used for illegal sand mining in the region.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed that the live feed of these CCTV cameras be placed under the direct control, supervision and operational supervision of the Superintendent of Police or Chief Superintendent of Police of the concerned district and the divisional forest officer.
She said these officers should ensure continuous and effective monitoring of the CCTV feed by appointing appropriate officers.
“The issues in question cannot be said to be of great concern inasmuch as the rampant illegal mining activities in the river bed have created an ecological crisis and havoc in the Chambal Gharial National Park, creating grave danger to the very ghari conservation project of which the state governments themselves were supporters and were bound to promote and enhance,” Justice Mehta said while pronouncing the order.
The court directed the authorities in these three states to take prompt and necessary action under the law if any case of illegal mining or associated activities arises.
She said the authorities must ensure the confiscation of vehicles or machinery found involved in illegal sand mining, as well as begin prosecuting people involved in it.
The bench, which passed several other directions, adjourned the matter for hearing on May 11.
The Supreme Court passed the order in the suo motu case titled “In Re: Illegal sand mining in Chambal National Park and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife”.
Chambal National Park, also called Chambal Gharial National Wildlife Sanctuary, is a tri-state protected area with an area of 5,400 square kilometres.
Besides the endangered gharial, it is home to the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river dolphin.
Located on the Chambal River near the tri-point of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the reserve was first declared a protected area in Madhya Pradesh in 1978, and now forms a long, narrow ecological reserve jointly managed by the three states.
On March 13, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of news reports about rampant illegal sand mining on the banks of the Chambal river.
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