The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Madhya Pradesh government over illegal mining at the Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary, despite its previous directions. A spot check by HT found large craters on the Chambal banks, indicating unabated illegal mining activities.
The court took cognisance of the report, which showed that the natural habitat of the animals outside the sanctuary was ravaged, with deep pits pockmarking the floodplain landscape. The riverbank, a nesting site for critically endangered gharials, is degraded.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the report indicates that illegal mining and transportation activities continue unabated despite the court's directions. The court posted the matter for hearing on Friday and told the additional solicitor general to file an immediate response.
The Supreme Court has repeatedly observed that illegal sand mining in the sanctuary has evolved into a parallel economy fuelled by the construction boom across north and central India. The court has issued a slew of directions to curb illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary.
