Archive · 8 Aug 2026
NGT Panel to Probe Illegal Sand Mining in Sindh River
A special environment court in India called the National Green Tribunal wants to find out what is happening to a river called the Sindh river.
Some people are digging up sand from the river using big machines.
A leader named Govind Singh says this digging is against the rules.
The digging can hurt animals like crocodiles, turtles, and birds that live near the river.
The river is also home to special animals called gharials and Indian flapshell turtles.
The court has made a team of three people to look into the problem.
The team must give its report within six weeks.
The digging might make the water dirty and damage the river's flow.
That is why the court wants to protect the river and the animals living in it.
The National Green Tribunal formed a three-member joint committee to examine sand mining in Madhya Pradesh's Sindh river and its impact on 24 villages in Bhind and Datia districts.
The committee, drawn from the Central Pollution Control Board, the Madhya Pradesh Environment Department, and the State Pollution Control Board, must submit its report within six weeks.
Congress leader Govind Singh's petition alleged large-scale, unauthorised and mechanised in-stream sand mining is being openly carried out without a valid District Survey Report or environmental clearance.
Mining uses heavy earth-moving machinery and boats with suction dredging equipment, with extracted sand transported without valid transit permits into Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The petition warns the mining threatens the river's ecology and wildlife, including breeding crocodiles, migratory birds, critically endangered Indian flapshell turtles and gharials, and has triggered a preliminary vigilance inquiry into alleged police complicity.
- Who
- The National Green Tribunal, which formed a three-member joint committee; the petition was filed by Congress leader Govind Singh.
- What
- A probe into large-scale, unauthorised and mechanised in-stream sand mining in the Sindh river and its ecological impact.
- When
- The tribunal issued the order on Friday, with the committee directed to submit its report within six weeks.
- Where
- The Sindh river, affecting 18 villages in Bhind district and six villages in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh; sand was also transported into Uttar Pradesh.
- Why
- The alleged illegal mining threatens the river's ecology, aquatic life and wildlife, including crocodiles, migratory birds, Indian flapshell turtles and gharials.
Petitioners / Environmental Concerns
Mining Operations / Regulatory Complaints
Legality of sand mining
Petitioners / Environmental Concerns
Petitioners allege mining is unauthorised, mechanised and carried out openly without a valid District Survey Report or environmental clearance.
Mining Operations / Regulatory Complaints
The article provides no response from mining operators, but the alleged practice of transporting sand into Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh without valid transit permits suggests commercial operations continue regardless of permits.
Police involvement
Petitioners / Environmental Concerns
The petition cites a preliminary vigilance inquiry into alleged police complicity in the illegal mining.
Mining Operations / Regulatory Complaints
The article reports no response or rebuttal from the police or other authorities to these allegations.
- Tribunal
- National Green Tribunal (NGT)
- Committee size
- Three members (CPCB, MP Environment Department, State Pollution Control Board)
- Affected villages
- 24 total - 18 in Bhind district, 6 in Datia district
- Report deadline
- Within six weeks of the order
- Petitioner
- Govind Singh, Congress leader
- River system
- Sindh river, a principal tributary of the Chambal-Yamuna system, ecologically connected to the National Chambal (Gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary
- Allegations
- No valid District Survey Report, no environmental clearance, and sand transported without valid transit permits
- Wildlife at risk
- Crocodiles, migratory birds, Indian flapshell turtles and gharials