Illegal sand mining in Madhya Pradesh

Illegal sand mining in Madhya Pradesh is a serious law & order and environmental issue. It is a flourishing unlawful practice because of the nexus between mining mafia and politicians. The illegal miners pay a hefty amount to politicians during elections. Many people, including police officers and activists, have lost their lives while trying to check it. In February 2017, it became a major political issue when the company of nephew of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was caught in illegal mining. The state government landed in an embarrassing situation because at the same time Chief Minister was touring Naramda to assess the condition of the riverbed.

In Sanskrit, Narmada means “the Giver of Pleasure”. It is the fifth largest river in Indian subcontinent spanning across 1312 km and forms the boundary between North India and South India. It is also one of the seven most sacred rivers as per the ancient Indian texts. It primarily flows through Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and briefly through Maharashtra. The river Narmada is the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh and due to rampant illegal mining, its existence is in danger. According to the experts, sand mining is adversely affecting the river’s groundwater and destroying the habitat of biodiversity. As per the Union Government of India, mining is the biggest problem for Narmada and it can be saved only if the mining stops. In December 2016, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that the state government would consult experts and environmentalists to decide on banning of sand mining in Narmada.

The case of illegal mining was under the purview of High Court. But in July 2015, it was transferred to National Green Tribunal (NGT). Following a formal complaint filed by Medha Patkar, a renowned social activist of Narmada Bachao Aandolan, NGT appointed a team to investigate the matter. After a detailed field inspection, the team submitted a report consisting details of illegal mining and violation of various environmental norms in Madhya Pradesh. Medha Patkar had also submitted the list of influential people and politicians to the Tribunal who were involved in this illegal activity. Thereafter, the Tribunal directed the state government to take the strong measures and report the progress.

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