Jaipur: The Supreme Court, Tuesday, came down heavily on Rajasthan for failing to comply with its directions to curb illegal sand mining in the Chambal region, recording an “abysmal state of compliance” and “complete lethargy” in implementing measures ordered earlier this year. Hearing a suo motu case on illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and the threat posed to endangered aquatic wildlife, the court expressed “serious displeasure” over Rajasthan’s response to its April 2 and April 17, 2026 orders. The bench observed that material placed before it reflected a “lacklustre response” by the state govt. Referring to a report submitted by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), the court noted that despite identification of several vulnerable locations, Rajasthan had failed to effectively establish surveillance systems, live monitoring mechanisms, GPS integration, inter-state coordination protocols and enforcement infrastructure. The order described the situation as a “disturbing degree of administrative apathy and institutional paralysis” in tackling organised and brazen illegal mining within protected forest and wildlife areas. The bench observed that continued illegal mining had resulted in “grave ecological degradation and failure of effective enforcement”. It also flagged the operation of many unregistered and unidentified vehicles and earth-moving machines allegedly engaged in illegal mining and transportation in violation of the Motor Vehicles Act and related rules. According to the court, the unchecked movement of such vehicles in and around the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary reflected a serious breakdown of regulatory oversight and facilitated unlawful mining activities. The inability of authorities to identify or trace ownership of these vehicles had hampered seizure, investigation and prosecution efforts, allowing organised mining networks to operate with impunity, it noted. The court further expressed concern over illegal excavation near the pillars and supporting structures of a bridge on National Highway-44 at the Morena-Dholpur border. It observed that mining activities in the vicinity posed a serious threat to the bridge’s structural integrity and public safety. The CEC had verified the excavation during an inspection and found that mining continued unabated around the site. While noting that Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh had initiated some preliminary steps, the court said compliance in both states remained at a nascent stage. Madhya Pradesh has begun the process of strengthening surveillance through tenders for high-resolution CCTV systems and related monitoring infrastructure. The National Highways Authority of India has been impleaded as a respondent and directed to submit measures for safeguarding the bridge, including installation of CCTV surveillance systems. The matter will be heard next on July 22.
