Illegal Sand Mining In Chambal: Supreme Court Flags ‘Vicarious Liability’ Of State Officials
The Supreme Court flagged possible vicarious liability of officials from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for failing to curb illegal sand mining in the Chambal Sanctuary
Supreme Court warns of holding state officials liable for illegal sand mining damaging Chambal Sanctuary ecosystem
The Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on authorities in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh over continued illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary, observing that officials may be held vicariously liable for destruction of protected wildlife habitats due to their “lethargy and inaction.”
The bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing a suo motu matter concerning rampant illegal sand mining in the sanctuary and its impact on endangered aquatic species, including the gharial.
During the hearing, the Court indicated that it would undertake a detailed examination of the issue after receiving responses from the concerned State governments and departments. However, it made strong prima facie observations on the legal consequences of environmental degradation in protected areas.
The Bench said that any destruction of wildlife habitats in a protected sanctuary would attract penal consequences under a range of environmental laws, including the Wildlife Protection Act, Environment Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act, Biological Diversity Act and the Indian Forest Act, along with applicable rules framed under these statutes.
Significantly, the Court observed that officials across multiple departments, including Forest, Mining, Water Resources, and the police, could be held vicariously liable for enabling environmental damage by failing to curb illegal mining activities.
“The officials of the departments concerned… by their lethargy and inaction would be liable to be held vicariously liable for aiding and abetting the destruction of these precious habitats by allowing illegal sand mining to continue,” the Court noted.
The Bench indicated that comprehensive and stringent directions would be issued after examining the responses of all stakeholders.
In the meantime, the Court directed its Registry to implead and issue notice to a wide array of authorities. These include the States of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh through their Principal Secretaries; the Directors General of Police of the three States; and the Principal Secretaries of the Departments of Mining and Geology, Forest, and Water Resources.
Notice was also issued to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change through its Secretary, highlighting the Centre’s role in environmental governance and conservation.
Further, the Court sought assistance from Senior Advocate Nikhil Goel and AoR Rupali Samuel, appointing them as amici curiae to aid the proceedings.
The Court also issued notice to the Centrally Empowered Committee, which currently functions under the Environment Protection Act and plays a key role in monitoring environmental compliance and violations.
The National Chambal Sanctuary, spread across parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, is a critical habitat for several endangered species, particularly the gharial, a fish-eating crocodilian whose survival is closely linked to the ecological health of the Chambal river system.
Illegal sand mining in the region has long been flagged as a major environmental concern, posing threats not only to biodiversity but also to riverine ecosystems and local communities.
The matter is scheduled to be taken up next on April 2.
Notably, on March 13, the Court had taken suo motu cognisance of alleged illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary, expressing concern over the threat posed to endangered aquatic wildlife, particularly the critically endangered Gharial. The bench had noted reports indicating that rampant mining activities were taking place in areas earmarked for the preservation of gharials.
The Chambal River is among the few relatively free-flowing rivers remaining in northern India and hosts the largest surviving population of gharials globally, a species listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Historical data indicates that the gharial population had collapsed from an estimated 5,000–10,000 individuals in the 1940s to fewer than 200 by the mid-1970s, largely due to hunting, river modification, fishing pressure and sand mining. However, recent conservation efforts have led to a recovery in numbers. Surveys conducted across the sanctuary in 2024–2025 recorded approximately 2,000–2,100 gharials, the highest count since systematic monitoring began. In 2025 alone, around 1,186 gharial hatchlings were documented, indicating successful breeding in protected stretches of the river.
The issue has gained renewed attention following policy changes affecting the sanctuary. In January 2026, the Rajasthan government approved the denotification of around 732 hectares from the sanctuary, a move described by officials as a boundary rationalisation exercise to address overlaps with revenue land and inhabited areas.
Case Title: In Re: Illegal Sand Mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered Aquatic Wildlife versus
Bench: Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta
Hearing Date: March 20, 2026