New Delhi: The Supreme Court has cautioned against granting environmental clearances for sand mining without first assessing the riverbed’s condition, stressing that such approvals could severely disrupt the ecological balance.
A bench of Justices P. S. Narasimha and A. S. Chandurkar emphasized the urgent need for detailed studies to ensure sustainable and cost-effective methods of sand extraction. The judges noted that construction-grade sand, crucial for infrastructure growth, faces alarming depletion, with projections suggesting exhaustion by 2050.
Bench Flags Environmental Impact
The Court underscored that river sand functions as a vital ecosystem service. Even regulated extraction, it warned, leads to widening and lowering of riverbeds, threatening biodiversity across aquatic and shoreline habitats and impacting entire floodplains.
Highlighting growing demand, the bench observed that the easy availability of river sand and gravel has accelerated construction projects but also triggered bed and bank erosion. These morphological changes, combined with unchecked mining practices, pose long-term risks to river ecosystems.
Also Read: 14 Advocates Named for Elevation as Bombay High Court Judges by SC Collegium
Need for Replenishment Studies
The judges stressed that sustainable river mining requires thorough replenishment assessments. Such studies, they said, must form an integral part of the District Survey Report (DSR) a document prepared by district authorities to map mining zones, calculate replenishment rates, and recommend rest periods after extraction.
“The DSR forms the foundation for considering applications for environmental clearance,” the bench remarked. “It is imperative that replenishment studies are carried out in advance and incorporated into the DSR to safeguard ecological stability.”
The ruling reinforces the Court’s consistent stance that environmental protection cannot be compromised for short-term developmental gains, urging authorities to prioritize ecological sustainability while processing mining clearances.
Also Read: SC Collegium Backs Permanent Status for 2 Gauhati HC Judges, Extends One More
