Overview
The Supreme Court on 14 May 2026 sharply criticised the Rajasthan Government for failing to implement its earlier directives aimed at curbing illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary. The Court ordered senior officials to appear personally and submit compliance affidavits.
Key Developments
- Senior officials — Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Principal Secretaries of Mining, Finance, Forest, and Transport — must be present before the Court on the next hearing scheduled for 20 May 2026 and file detailed affidavits.
- The NHAI is impleaded as a party to address illegal excavation threatening a bridge on NH‑44 at the Morena‑Dholpur border.
- The Principal Secretary, Transport Department, Madhya Pradesh, must appear to explain the prevalence of unregistered mining vehicles, a breach of the Motor Vehicles Act and Central Motor Vehicles Rules.
- Compliance gaps highlighted: only 1 of 40 identified vulnerable spots has a CCTV camera; GPS tracking for mining equipment remains unimplemented; joint patrol teams are still “under consideration”.
- The Court reiterated the “Polluter Pays” principle, urging recovery of compensation from illegal operators.
Important Facts
• The bench hearing the case comprises Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, acting suo motu on the issue.
• Earlier orders dated 2 April 2026 and 17 April 2026 mandated installation of high‑resolution CCTV, GPS tracking, joint police‑forest patrols, and a uniform inter‑State Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
• While Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have filed compliance affidavits, Rajasthan has not submitted any, prompting the Court’s strong rebuke.
• Only four of 24 permanent check‑posts in Rajasthan have functional surveillance facilities; the rest lack basic monitoring.
Exam Relevance
The case illustrates the intersection of environmental governance, federal‑state coordination, and judicial activism—core topics for GS 3 (Environment) and GS 2 (Polity). Aspirants should note:
- How the judiciary can enforce environmental statutes and compel administrative action.
- The role of inter‑State mechanisms (SOP, joint patrols) in managing shared natural resources.
- Implications of the Polluter Pays doctrine for environmental liability and compensation.
- Challenges of implementing technology‑driven monitoring (CCTV, GPS) in remote forest areas.
Way Forward
To address the compliance deficit, the Court directed:
- Personal appearance of the listed Rajasthan officials on 20 May 2026 with comprehensive affidavits outlining steps taken and timelines for pending actions.
- Implementation of a robust CCTV network covering all 40 identified vulnerable points, linked to a central control room for real‑time monitoring.
- Mandatory GPS integration for all mining vehicles and machinery, with periodic audits.
- Formation of joint patrol teams of police, forest officials, and Rajasthan Armed Constabulary/Home Guards to conduct regular inspections.
- Finalisation and dissemination of the inter‑State SOP, ensuring uniform enforcement across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Strict enforcement of the Motor Vehicles Act to curb unregistered mining transport, including prosecution of masterminds behind organised illegal mining.
Effective implementation will require coordinated action between state governments, the NHAI, and central agencies, reinforcing the rule of law and safeguarding the sanctuary’s endangered fauna.