Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 17: The Supreme Court on Friday described rampant illegal riverbed sand mining in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary as an “environmental crisis”, warning that it poses a serious threat to the gharial conservation project.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta pulled up Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for failing to control illegal mining activities in the protected zone.

The court directed the installation of high-resolution, Wi-Fi-enabled CCTV cameras along routes frequently used for illegal sand mining, with live feeds to be monitored by the Superintendent or Senior Superintendent of Police and the Divisional Forest Officer of the respective districts.

The Bench further instructed authorities to ensure continuous monitoring through designated personnel and ordered strict legal action in all cases of illegal mining, including seizure of vehicles and machinery and prosecution of offenders.

“It can’t be gainsaid that the issues involved are of great concern in as much as the rampant illegal mining activities in the river bed have created an environmental crisis and havoc in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary causing a grave risk to the very project of gharial preservation,” Justice Sandeep Mehta observed while pronouncing the order.

The matter, listed for further hearing on May 11, is part of a suo motu case titled In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife, initiated after the court took cognisance of media reports on March 13.

The 5,400 sq km tri-state sanctuary, spanning Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh along the Chambal river, is home to endangered species including the gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle and the Ganges river dolphin.