Report on enforcement of anti-mining rules with drone and CCTV monitoring in Chambal Sanctuary presented in NGT
Andhra Pradesh achieved full waste processing, major legacy waste remediation
Dasna, Ghaziabad built sewage plant, treated pond water, improved drainage
To tackle illegal sand mining near National Chambal Sanctuary, sand seized from vehicles like tractor trolleys is mixed with soil to render it unusable, according to an affidavit filed by the additional chief secretary, environment department, Madhya Pradesh October 8, 2025 before the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
In 2024, 46,118.55 cubic metres of sand was seized and 45,799 cubic metres was destroyed.
Taskforce meetings have been organised at all levels for formulating strategies for combating illegal sand mining. The taskforce for each district comprises the district magistrate, superintendent of police and the divisional forest officer.
The matter was related to illegal mining near the National Chambal Sanctuary which has resulted in pollution in the area, adversely affecting the environment and public health.
NGT May 27, 2025 had directed submission of a statement detailing the number of CCTV cameras installed and operational over the past year at the Gharial Centre in Deori and the forest produce inspection checkpoint at Morena Depot. It should include information on how many illegal mining incidents have been identified using these cameras and where the CCTV footage is being stored.
NGT also wanted information on how many drones have been deployed in the control and prevention of illegal sand mining and transportation within the National Chambal Sanctuary within the last one year and how many cases of illegal sand mining have been detected using drones. Further, how the drone recording is saved and immediate action taken after detection of the sand mining through drone.
The report said that at present there are two CCTV cameras operational in the area. The CCTV cameras are located at forest produce check post and Eco Centre Devri. The total number of cases registered using CCTV cameras are six. The total vehicles seized are three trucks, one dumper and two tractor trolleys. The investigation is ongoing in all cases by the Range Officer, Game Range Deori.
As of now there is one drone used for surveillance. Proposal for the procurement of a new drone has been submitted to the higher authorities on February 28, 2025. The 10 cases have been registered using the drone. In one case, 2,960 cubic meters of sand was seized.
With respect to the recording and monitoring, it was submitted that the CCTV footage is retained in the monitoring room for around seven days. The drone footage is used only for real-time surveillance and security. All the offences are registered under the Indian Forests Act, 1927 and Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The report also presented the updated status of cases registered under the National Chambal Sanctuary. While in 2024, 186 cases were registered while in 2025, 92 cases have been registered.
Numerous vehicles have been seized in the National Chambal Sanctuary under Section 52 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Once the final confiscation is done, the vehicles are auctioned through a tendering process. As many as 12 vehicles were auctioned from September through October in 2024 and 40 vehicles were auctioned in May 2025.
The affidavit filed by the state of Andhra Pradesh before the National Green Tribunal September 23, 2025 said that 100 per cent of the municipal solid waste generated in the state is being processed.
The total waste generated in Andhra Pradesh at present is 7,527 TPD, out of which wet waste is 4,471 TPD and dry waste is 3.056 TPD. The wet waste is being processed through waste-to-compost plants, bioCNG plants and windrow composting.
In respect of urban local bodies (ULB) where compost plants are available waste is being processed for making compost in sheds and in respect of ULBs where plants are not available, waste is being processed through windrow composting in open area. Some 3,056 TPD of dry waste generated is being processed through material recovery facilities, waste-to-energy plants and cement plants.
Up to the date of filing of last affidavit on March 16, 2025, 5 million tonnes of legacy waste was remediated and, subsequently, from March 16, 2025 to September 19, 2025 3.32 millilon tonnes of legacy waste was remediated.
Thus, 8.39 million tonnes of legacy waste was remediated out of the total legacy waste of 8.59 million tonnes. In 90 ULBs, 100 per cent remediation is completed and in the remaining 33 ULBs, work is in progress to complete the balance legacy waste of 199,000 tonnes shortly.
As per the latest reports, sewage generation has increased to 1,957 MLD. In 53 ULBs, 125 sewage treatment plants (STP) have been installed with a treatment capacity of 707.90 MLD, out of which 75 STPs with a capacity of 533.65 MLD are operational with standards and "174.25 MLD is inoperational due to non-completion of house service sewer connections in some areas and also due to gap in interception and diversion connections".
To make the STPs fully operational, special drives are being conducted for providing house service sewer connections with subsidised prices and interception and diversion works are proposed to bring the STPs into full operational capacity.
In 96 ULBs, 159 STPs with a capacity of 638.52 MLD STPs are taken up with the funds of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBM-U), PLAN, HUDCO and other schemes to bridge the gap. In addition to the existing and under construction STPs, 29 STPs with a capacity of 226.60 MLD are sanctioned under AMRUT 2.0 in 18 ULBs.
Coming to urban local bodies that did not have facilities for sewage management it was submitted that steps have been initiated to establish sewage treatment facilities across the concerned ULBs. In Vizianagaram, Kakinada, Bhimavaram, Eluru, Ananthapuram, Nandyal, Kurnool, Kadapa and Guntur ULBs, some STPs are under construction stage and some STPs are at tender stage.
The construction of a 100 KLD sewage treatment plant (STP) has been completed and it would prevent discharge of untreated water in a pond opposite Siddha Peeth Devi Temple at village Dasna, Ghaziabad stated the report by Uttar Pradesh, October 10, 2025.
The STP consists of a collection tank, grit chamber, biological reactor, treated water tank, ozonator, hydroheal reactor, sludge removal system. The application for consent to operate (CTO) has been submitted to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) for permission to operate the STP.
The CTO for the STP was granted by UPPCB on August 8, 2025. The STP is operational and around 20 KLD of water is treated and discharged into the pond. From September 1, 2025 to October 9, 2025, 780 KLD of water has been treated.
Nagar Panchayat of Dasna had earlier constructed a temporary kachha drain to prevent discharge in the waterbody which is connected to Dasna drain. The work of converting the kaccha drain into pakka drain has been completed and discharge from around 1,000 households from nearby areas is going into the pakka drain.
The desilting work of the pond has been completed. However, the silt has not been disposed of. Despite dewatering work, the pond filled up once again due to heavy rainfall. The process of dewatering has been resumed using pumps and after complete dewatering, the silt will also be disposed of at the earliest.
For the purpose of beautification and rejuvenation of the pond located in Nagar Panchayat, Dasna, a work order dated May 25, 2025 has been issued.