Relevance: GS III (Environment & Internal Security) & GS II (Governance) | Source: The Hindu 

1. The Core Issue: What has happened?

The Supreme Court of India took suo motu (on its own) notice of the massive environmental destruction happening in the Chambal region.

• The Stern Warning: The Court gave a strict warning to the state governments of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. If they do not stop the illegal sand mining within a month, the Court will deploy Central paramilitary forces to do the job.
• The Dual Crisis: This is not just about the environment; it is a serious collapse of law and order. Heavily armed “sand mafias” are operating freely, and there have been tragic incidents where outgunned forest guards and police personnel were murdered while doing their duty.

2. Ecological Damage (National Chambal Sanctuary)

UPSC frequently asks map-based questions on such vital protected areas.

• Geography: The National Chambal Sanctuary is a unique tri-state protected area. It is shared by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh along the Chambal River.
• Topography: The area is globally famous for its deeply eroded, maze-like landscape known as the Chambal Ravines (badland topography).
• Wildlife at Risk: Mining permanently destroys riverbeds and breeding grounds of highly sensitive species:
  • Gharial: Critically Endangered. The Chambal River holds the largest surviving population of this unique crocodile.
  • Red-crowned Roof Turtle: Critically Endangered.
  • Ganges River Dolphin: Endangered (India’s National Aquatic Animal).

3. Legal Framework: Who controls sand mining?

To understand why the Supreme Court pulled up the state governments, we must look at the administrative rules:

• The “Minor Mineral” Rule: Under the national law (MMDR Act, 1957), ordinary sand is legally classified as a “Minor Mineral.”
• State Responsibility: Because it is a minor mineral, the constitutional power to make rules, regulate mining, and stop theft lies entirely with the State Governments, not the Central Government.
• Mandatory Clearance: In the famous Deepak Kumar case (2012), the Supreme Court made it compulsory to get an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) clearance for all sand mining projects, to stop the step-by-step destruction of Indian rivers.

4. Administrative Action and Sustainable Solutions

To fight the apathy of the local administration, the Court has ordered technology-driven surveillance:

• Digital Monitoring: The states must install Wi-Fi-enabled CCTV cameras in mining zones. The live feed must go directly to the local Superintendent of Police (SP). Furthermore, all mining trucks must be tracked using GPS.
• The Ultimate Solution (M-Sand): To permanently reduce the high market demand for natural river sand, the government is promoting Manufactured Sand (M-Sand). It is an artificial, eco-friendly sand made by crushing hard granite rocks for use in the construction sector.

The “UPSC Trap”

• The “Central Control” Trap: UPSC might try to trick you by stating, “Since sand mining affects inter-state rivers, it is classified as a Major Mineral and is exclusively regulated by the Central Government.” Incorrect. Sand is a Minor Mineral, and its regulation is strictly the legal duty of the State Governments.

UPSC Value Box: Important Administrative Terms

With reference to the ecological and legal framework of sand mining in India, consider the following statements:

1. Under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, sand is classified as a minor mineral, and the power to regulate its mining lies with the State Governments.
2. The National Chambal Sanctuary is a tri-state protected area spread across Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.
3. The Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), naturally found in the Chambal river basin, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (c)