Trouble in the gharial’s last bastion?

The apex court recently rapped state governments for their inability to prevent sand mining in the Chambal river, the fish-eating crocodilian’s last stronghold

The Supreme Court recently rapped Rajasthan for its inability to prevent sand mining in the Gharial Sanctuary on the Chambal river.Photo: Vikas Choudhary/CSE

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21 May 2026, 12:28 pm

The Supreme Court recently came down hard on state governments, especially Rajasthan, on their inability to prevent sand mining in the Chambal river, one of the last remaining strongholds of the gharial, India’s unique crocodilian.

Rajasthan had proved to be an ‘utter failure’ in combating the mining mafia, the bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said.

“We find that everything is only on paper. The states have enough resources, but they are hardly being used,” it added.

Rajasthan had proved to be an ‘utter failure’ in combating the mining mafia, the bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said.Photo: Vikas Choudhary/CSE

The Chambal river forms the border between Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pardesh. In 1978, this tri-state junction along the river was designated as a wildlife sanctuary. The Chambal river is home to the largest population of gharials among other aquatic animals.

The gharial is a unique crocodilian found only in the Indian subcontinent. Its population had declined dramatically in past decades but has since rebounded, due to conservation efforts.Photo: Vikas Choudhary/CSE

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), the last surviving crocodilian member of the genus Gavialis, is endemic to the Indian subcontinent.

It historically used to occur in all major river systems of the Indian Subcontinent but is now found in isolated stretches. While its population decreased by over 80 per cent between the 1950s and 1960s due to habitat degradation, poaching, and mortality from passive fishing, it has started rebounding due to concerted conservation efforts launched in the mid-1970s.

Mining