Illegal sand mining threatens Gharial sanctuary

The Hindu

Sunday, Oct 15, 2006

Lalit Shastri

MORENA (M.P.): A 15-km stretch of sandy bank under the Chambal

bridge on National Highway 3 connecting Madhya Pradesh with

Rajasthan has remained an ideal breeding ground for the now

endangered Gharial for millions of years, but now this endangered

species that lays eggs in sand faces the threat of extinction due to

biotic pressure and reckless illegal mining of sand.

Driving on NH-3 from Morena as one comes closer to the Chambal

bridge one finds that vast agricultural fields on both sides of the

highway have been converted into a dumping ground for sand to be

transported by trucks to far-off places in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan,

besides catering to demand nearer home.

What comes as a major surprise here is that the picturesque Bhanpur

Rest House overlooking the Chambal river has been taken over

completely by the sand mining mafia and there goes on a never

ending movement of tractor trolleys to dump the illegally mined sand

within the State Public Works Department-owned premises. This is

where the trucks get loaded with sand for transportation purposes. A brief halt on the Chambal bridge reveals the massive scale of illegal

sand mining activity that goes on unchecked by the authorities on

either side of the bridge. This area has been notified and falls within

the National Chambal Sanctuary.

Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Himmat Kothari had also admitted in

the State Assembly earlier this year that illegal mining of sand had

been continuing down the Chambal river. He had particularly

emphasised that the survival of Gharial and other wildlife species that

lay eggs in sand is greatly threatened by sand mining in the Protected

Area. Mr. Kothari had told the House that on the one hand the State

Government tries to curb the menace of illegal sand mining and on the

other a large number of local residents, including labourers, traders

and truck operators, continue to be involved in illegal mining activity.

Mr. Kothari had even suggested that "some area falling along the 435-

km stretch of the Chambal river, which is important from the sand

mining point of view and was not an ideal habitat for the endangered

gharial, should be de-notified to reduce biotic pressure".

Taking a similar stand, the State Wildlife Board even recommended

that a 10-km stretch of land near the Piprai mine be de-linked from

the sanctuary with the Supreme Court's consent. A small patch of land

along the riverbank on the Madhya Pradesh side has been notified as

the Piprai sand mining area.

Forest Department officials told this correspondent that the mining

contractors use their mining lease contracts to transport the sand

mined illegally from the Protected Area. Forest Department Research

Officer R. K. Sharma said that the Piprai area is ideal for Gharial

breeding. A sandy island 5 km from the Chambal bridge and close to

Piprai is also a perfect breeding ground.

When this correspondent went 15 km downstream to Tigri Rithora on

Friday afternoon, there were some labourers illegally filling a tractor

with sand. When the accompanying forest guards confronted these

people, a large mob descended from a nearby mound and before

anyone could be attacked this correspondent was forced to leave the

spot in a speedboat anchored nearby.

Dr. Sharma later said that Tigri Rithora is one of the best breeding

grounds for Gharial and every year they spot eight to 10 gharial nests

around this place. When contacted, National Chambal Sanctuary

Superintendent S. K. Katare said that breeding of Gharial in the

natural environment is greatly threatened these days by illegal mining. The alarm bells had started ringing when the Gharial count stood at

451 in this territory in 1983-84. However, the Forest Department's

Gharial breeding and releasing operation (which started at Devri in

Morena district in 1981) helped in improving the situation and the

number of Gharials rose to 1289 during the 1997-98 counting cycle.

Due to paucity of resources, gharial breeding and their counting was

stopped between 1999 and 2003.

When the Gharials were counted again in 2003, their number had

dropped to 514. The breeding activity was re-launched that year and

during the last count done in February this year the number of

Gharials had risen to 772. This clearly shows that the Chambal

Sanctuary no longer remains the perfect habitat for the Gharial. If the

Breeding Centre at Devri was not functioning, their numbers would

only continue to decrease.

________________________________________________________________

The Hindu

Friday, Oct 20, 2006

Madhya Pradesh asked to stop illegal sand mining

CEC takes suo motu note ofThe Hindureport during Oct. 16 hearing

BHOPAL: The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) appointed by the

Supreme Court has asked the Madhya Pradesh Government to ensure

that no sand mining is carried out in the National Chambal Sanctuary

in violation of the apex court's orders.

CEC Member-Secretary M.K. Jiwrajka has written to Madhya Pradesh

chief secretary Rakesh Sahni raising the issue of illegal sand mining in

the National Chambal Sanctuary and asked the State Government to

comply with the Supreme Court's earlier order in this regard.

Enclosing a copy of the report that appeared in The Hindu dated

October 15 regarding illegal sand mining, Mr. Jiwrajka wrote to the

Chief Secretary that the CEC had taken suo motu note of that report

during a hearing on October 16.

The Conservator of Forests responsible for the Chambal area and the

State Counsel were present during this hearing. The CEC has

observed: "Apparently the sand mining is being carried out in the

Sanctuary area in violation of the Supreme Court' s order dated

14.2.2000 in IA No. 548 W.P. (C) No. 202/95."

The Chief Secretary has also been asked to get the matter enquired

into immediately and send a detailed report.