New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Rajasthan government's decision de-notifying 732 hectares of the National Chambal Sanctuary, saying it will not allow opening up of any reserve land meant for protected species and also described the mining mafia as dacoits.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta severely criticised the Rajasthan government for "facilitating" illegal sand mining and observed that traditional dacoity has been replaced by the mining mafia. The court said if the state claims, it cannot defend its natural resources, then it is absolute anarchy.
The court said the state government has thrown in the towel, and a number of government officials, including sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) and policemen, have been killed in Rajasthan by the mining mafia.
Supreme Court takes cognisance of illegal sand mining in National Chambal SanctuaryThe court was hearing a suo motu case titled 'In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife'.
Referring to illegal sand mining in Rajasthan, the bench told the state counsel "You are facilitating illegal mining."
The court thus stayed the notification of December 23, 2025, issued by the state of Rajasthan and notified on March 9, 2026.
The bench said the de-notification of the 732-hectare area is a "serious issue" and told the Rajasthan government's counsel that the state's notification has not passed muster through the required statutory requirements.
"Have you been to that location? Go and see how fragile it is. Gharials are now virtually on the verge of extinction. Not only gharials, so many aquatic animals," the bench told the state counsel.
The amicus curiae, in the matter, referred to a separate proceeding pending before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) since 2022 on the same issue and added that no eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) has been defined by Rajasthan till date.
Forest minister visits Shettihalli amid row over move to shrink wildlife sanctuaryThe amicus said once it is de-notified, it becomes revenue land.
"That is why they don't declare the eco-sensitive zone. We have seen that in Ranthambore. We have seen that in Sariska," the bench said.
"The problem is that the state government has completely forgotten that there is a law called preventive detention. A similar thing took place in Jaisalmer, where all the windmills were destroyed by these mafias. Complete system was on the verge of collapse," the bench said,
The court asked the counsel appearing for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to take instructions and file an affidavit within four weeks. The court fixed the matter for further hearing on May 11. The bench also directed for transfer of the matter pending before the NGT to this court.