Following Supreme Court criticism, the Morena administration in Madhya Pradesh has implemented a strict ban on sand mining and transportation from the Chambal River, aiming to curb illegal activities and protect the environment.
The Morena administration in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday banned sand mining as well as transportation from the Chambal River and also barred sale of fuel to unregistered vehicles to curb illegal activities and crime in the district.
The decision comes two days after the Supreme Court pulled up the Madhya Pradesh government over unabated illegal mining in the area.
The decision to impose a complete ban on sand excavation and transport from the Chambal River was taken at a task force meeting chaired by in-charge collector Kamlesh Kumar Bhargav.
Bhargav told PTI the ban has come into effect immediately.
The order informed that Madhya Pradesh Special Armed Force (SAF) personnel have been deployed at key locations, including Rajghat, Bhanu, Deora and Skarda canal trisection, to ensure continuous monitoring to curb illegal mining and storage or transportation of sand.
Bhargav and Superintendent of Police Sameer Saurabh jointly inspected the identified locations along with police, mining, forest department and SAF officials, and reviewed camp arrangements and operational strategy.
The administration directed that no sand mining or transportation from the Chambal River be allowed under any circumstances, with SAF personnel maintaining round-the-clock vigil and ensuring strict action against violators.
Vehicles involved in illegal activities will be seized immediately and cases registered, with provisions for confiscation and early auction of seized vehicles, officials added.
In a separate order, the administration barred petrol pumps from supplying petrol, diesel or CNG to vehicles without registration, stating that violations would invite action against operators under relevant legal provisions.
The measure aims to check crimes involving unregistered vehicles, which hamper investigations due to absence of identification details, officials added.
The order issued by Bhargav will remain in force from April 15 to June 14 under provisions of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, they said.
On April 13, the Supreme Court termed the killing of a forest guard in Madhya Pradesh and digging of the foundation of pillars of Chambal bridge connecting the state to Rajasthan by illegal sand miners as "shocking" and a "failure" of the state government.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said either the state government has failed to curb illegal mining or it is being done in connivance with state authorities.
"They are digging up the bridge and if the bridge falls, who will be responsible? The photographs are self-explanatory. Forest officials are run over by sand mafias and the foundation of a bridge is dug. This is an absolutely shocking state of affairs. Either the state government has failed to control the illegal sand mining or it is in connivance," the bench observed.
The top court was hearing a suo motu case titled 'In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife'.