SC Slams States Over 'Lackadaisical Response' to Illegal Sand Mining in Chambal Gharial Sanctuary
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday (April 17) slammed what it termed the “lackadaisical response” of the states to the issue of illegal sand mining in in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary spanning Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, reported Hindustan Times.
The apex court also ordered heightened vigil, strict prosecution and accountability of officials to curb illegal sand mining. While hearing a suo motu case, a bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the failure of state governments was “writ large on the face of record” and could even suggest “tacit connivance”. It flagged a “disturbing pattern of inaction and administrative indifference”, reported Hindustan Times.
The court also ordered that high-resolution, Wi-Fi-enabled CCTV cameras must be installed across vulnerable stretches and routes used by mining operators.
As a pilot project, GPS tracking will also be installed in mining vehicles and equipment in Morena (MP) and Dholpur (Rajasthan), said the court.
“It is incumbent upon all concerned authorities to act with a sense of responsibility, urgency, and commitment, so as to ensure that the balance between development and environmental preservation is meaningfully sustained for present and future generations,” said Jjustice Mehta.
The court also ordered the states to deploy specialised, round-the-clock patrolling teams equipped with modern arms and communication gear in high-risk areas, citing the fact that illegal miners are often equipped with sophisticated weapons.
Earlier, reports by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and amicus curiae had revealed brazen scale of illegal mining, including incidents of forest guards being killed by mining mafias.
The court termed the states’ claim of being outmatched by armed miners as “disquieting” and indicative of “shocking unpreparedness”, reported HT.
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