SC took suo motu cognizance and severely reprimanded states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh over persistent illegal sand mining in and around National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary.
About Illegal Sand Mining
- Legal Status: Sand is classified as a minor mineral under Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957.
- Definition: Under Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, illegal mining means reconnaissance, prospecting, or mining without the required mineral concession.
- As per MMDR Act, extraction or transportation of minerals without a valid prospecting licence, mining lease, composite licence, or in violation of rules under Section 23C (rules made by state governments) constitutes illegal mining.
- Implications: Causes ecological degradation, biodiversity loss, law-and-order challenges due to mining mafias, and socio-economic costs including revenue loss etc.
Protection Against Illegal Sand Mining
- Guidelines: MoEFCC's Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines (2016) and Enforcement & Monitoring Guidelines (2020).
- Technology-Based Monitoring: The Mining Surveillance System (MSS) uses satellite imagery.
- Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2017: It mandates end-to-end mineral accounting.
- Penalties: The MMDR Amendment Act, 2015 provides for higher fines, imprisonment up to 5 years, and special courts for speedy trials.
National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary
About Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
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