The Supreme Court’s environmental watchdog, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), has directed the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan to submit proof of enforcement actions and tangible progress made in curbing illegal sand mining.“The report shall clearly distinguish between measures proposed, sanctioned, procured, installed and made operational,” the CEC said in its report. The three states are also asked to furnish data on checkposts, control rooms, frontline staff, enforcement equipment, and manufactured sand units.The development follows the CEC’s field visits to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, undertaken after the Supreme Court began examining illegal sand mining and wildlife threats in the National Chambal Sanctuary, located along the Chambal River at the tripoint of the three states. In October, the top court expanded the proceedings to cover illegal sand mining nationwide.Also Read | Supreme Court panel: Phase out ‘unsustainable’ river sand mining in 3 years, desilt damsAlong with conducting field visits, the panel reviewed compliance reports and flagged enforcement gaps, data discrepancies, and incomplete records regarding action taken against illegal sand mining.The field visits were held at Morena and Bhind in Madhya Pradesh, to review measures taken in the Chambal area, and in Dholpur, Rajasthan. District forest officers, magistrates, superintendents of Police and officials from the mining department were present.A review meeting was also held in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, with forest and wildlife officials of Panna and Chhatarpur.Based on a report from the Madhya Pradesh government, the CEC report noted 33 forest offence cases in the Panna Tiger Reserve and Ken Gharial Sanctuary between 2021 and October 2026. Of these, 15 cases involved the illegal extraction or transportation of sand, including 10 inside the Ken Gharial Sanctuary.Story continues below this adOn the issue pertaining to the Ken River, the SC panel noted in its report a “big difference” in the enforcement figures provided by Panna’s Mineral Branch.While the revised report of the Collector (Mineral Branch) recorded nine disposed cases of illegal sand extraction and 504 for illegal sand transportation for the period 2021-22 to 2026-27, the same material elsewhere cited 86 extraction cases and 653 transportation cases.The SC panel directed the Panna Collector and the concerned mining officer to reconcile and certify the conflicting case figures. “The difference is substantial and has not been explained. Until the figures are reconciled and certified, they cannot be relied upon for assessing the extent of enforcement or the results achieved,” the CEC report stated.The Madhya Pradesh government shall constitute a joint team of forest, mining and revenue departments, the CEC said, and asked it to specifically inspect 14 locations in relation to the Ken river.Story continues below this adThe verification, the CEC added, shall also cover all 31 approved quarries for the period 2024-2027, their validity and conditions of the permissions, approved area, authorised quantity, statutory clearances, and actual extraction and transportation.“The quantity extracted shall be compared with permitted quantity, and any extraction beyond the approved boundaries or in excess of the authorised quantity shall be specifically identified,” CEC recommended.