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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on February 4, 2026, ordered the constitution of a three-member joint committee to probe allegations of rampant illegal mining in the Mahanadi and Karun rivers. The court directed the committee to visit the place and submit the factual and action taken report within six weeks.
In addition, the NGT’s central bench directed notices to be issued to the state of Chhattisgarh through the district magistrates of Durg and Raipur; the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board and the district mining officer, Atal Nagar, Durg Collectorate.
An application had raised the issue of illegal river mining using heavy machinery and motorboats in violation of environmental norms. According to a news article in Dainik Bhaskar’s Raipur edition dated January 1, 2026, sand is being illegally extracted from the Kharun river using motorboats operating round the clock. Sand is being lifted from the ‘chain mountain’ stockpile and transported in trucks to Durg and Bhilai.
Recently, after receiving reports of sand theft at Satpakhar, a team from the Durg-Raipur Mineral Department reached the site and seized the stockpile. However, within just seven days, illegal mining resumed.
The application alleged that the Mineral Department is reluctant to take strict action due to the influence of a former member of Legislative Assembly from Durg district, allowing rampant sand mining to continue.
To facilitate the movement of motorboats and heavy vehicles, the sand mafia has dug up the riverbank, creating an illegal pathway by removing soil from the banks. Meanwhile, a canal that supplies water to agricultural fields has reportedly been blocked, said the newspaper article. Right in front of Satpakhar Ghat, boats are launched into the river and sand is pulled toward the bank using truck-mounted motors.
Illegal mining continues unabated in both the Mahanadi and Kharun rivers, the allegation submitted.
The eastern bench of the NGT on February 2, 2026, directed Additional Chief Secretary, Forest and Environment Department, Odisha to file reply on the complaint of violation of consent to establish (CTE) conditions by Jindal Steel & Power Limited (JSPL) in Utkal C-Block coal mines, Angul district.
In addition, the court also directed Angul district magistrate and collector; Forest and Environment Department; Odisha State Pollution Control Board; Department of Steel and Mines, Odisha to submit their reply on the matter within four weeks.
The application stated that JSPL has been allocated the coal mine spread over a mining lease area of 575.05 hectares to mine 3.37 MTPA of coal. The coal mine lies in the villages of Raijharan, Similisahi, Golagadia, Nandichor alias Gopiballavpur in the tehsil of Chhendipada.
Odisha State Pollution Control Board granted the CTE on December 19, 2022, subject to strict conditions, including several pollution control measures to address air and water pollution.
However, JSPL has violated multiple conditions of the CTE by not using a mechanised wheel washing system at the exit point of mine, not using black topped concrete roads from the mines to the dumping yard, no wind barrier wall of 10 metres height around the stack yard to prevent fugitive coal dust emission apart from no water sprinkling on unplanted surface area of Overburden dump area to control fugitive emission.
The NGT on February 4, 2026, directed submission of a detailed report from the Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) of Sagar and Chhatarpur districts in Madhya Pradesh about the utilisation of CAMPA funds for tree plantation in the districts.
The report should contain information on the total number of trees allowed to be cut down in Sagar and Chhatarpur districts for the development of Bharat Mala project in Sagar-Hirapur bypass Mohari-Sathya valley.
Also, the court asked the respondent to furnish information on the total trees already cut down and the amount deposited by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in the CAMPA fund. The report should also contain details of utilisation of funds, of site wise plantation as well as the major species planted. There should also be information on the survival percentage of trees as of now on the date of fresh monitoring done by the CCF. Lastly, an action plan for the utilisation or non-utilized funds along with details of plantation activities be carried out, the order said.
The applicant said the NHAI has deposited approximately Rs 27 crore into the forest department CAMPA Fund for tree plantation — Rs 19.54 crore to the Sagar North Forest Division and Rs 8.34 crore to the Chattarpur Forest Division.
Despite this, the ground reality remains unchanged as plantation work has yet to begin. The amount so deposited for compensatory plantation must be utilised for plantation on the already identified area. The applicant’s grievance dealt with misutilisation or no utilisation of the fund allocated and deposited for the purpose of plantation adversely affecting the green belt.