Madhya Pradesh Deploys Special Forces to Curb Illegal Sand Mining in Morena

Authorities in Madhya Pradesh have intensified security measures in the Morena district to combat illegal sand mining along the Chambal River. This crackdown follows severe criticism from the Supreme Court of India, which recently slammed the state governments of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for failing to control mining activities in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary. The court expressed shock over the structural damage to the Chambal bridge and the recent killing of a forest guard by alleged miners. In response, Morena officials deployed 50% of a Special Armed Forces (SAF) company to Rajghat, identified as a critical hotspot. Additional preventive strategies include installing CCTV cameras at sensitive locations and prohibiting fuel pumps from supplying vehicles without registration numbers. Morena Superintendent of Police Samir Sourabh stated that intelligence operations are underway to identify notorious mining groups, with potential exile from the district for repeat offenders. These actions were coordinated by the District Level Mining Task Force, comprising senior administrative and police officials, aiming to prevent further environmental degradation and ensure public safety amidst heightened judicial scrutiny.