Chambal's Illegal Mining: Land Ownership Cripples Protection Efforts

Enforcement against illegal sand mining within the National Chambal Sanctuary is encountering significant obstacles due to land ownership issues, according to a recent Central Empowered Committee (CEC) report to the Supreme Court. The sanctuary, spanning Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, has seen improvements while under court supervision, but long-term solutions require institutionalizing enforcement measures.

A substantial portion of the sanctuary comprises revenue and private land, not officially notified forest land. This prevents forest officials from fully utilizing enforcement powers, such as land seizure, under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, creating a major impediment to combating illegal sand extraction.

The Supreme Court, acknowledging these challenges, has indicated that converting revenue land within the sanctuary to forest land would be beneficial. The court heard arguments regarding the suo motu petition on illegal sand mining, which highlighted the degradation of the Chambal riverbanks, impacting critically endangered gharial populations.

Furthermore, the CEC recommended providing legal protection to forest officials confronting the armed sand mafia. The report suggested states emulate successful models from Odisha and Assam by offering similar protections under the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, requiring prior sanction for prosecution of public servants.

To ensure foolproof enforcement, the CEC proposed expanding the current petition's scope to develop a national framework for preventing illegal sand mining and regulating riverbed mineral extraction in protected areas. This framework aims for consistent environmental safeguards and enhanced inter-agency cooperation.