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Chambal Gharial Sanctuary: Rajasthan orders check posts, GPS curbs to stop illegal gravel mining

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Rajasthan has ordered tighter patrols and new checks to stop illegal gravel mining in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary after a high-level review at the Kota Collectorate on 14 October 2026. Additional Chief Secretary (Forest and Environment) Anand Kumar chaired the meeting, which followed Supreme Court directions on protecting the sanctuary.

Chambal Gharial Sanctuary: The review meeting at the Kota Collectorate
The review meeting at the Kota Collectorate Photo: DIPR Rajasthan (official handout, free to use with credit).

Illegal gravel mining: the new orders

Anand Kumar told officials to step up patrolling, set up mobile check posts, install CCTV cameras and build an informer network. Heavy vehicles must carry GPS, and unregistered vehicles will not get fuel. Home Guards on duty were given weapons and body cameras, and the forest team received 14 wireless sets and a thermal drone. Dainik Bhaskar said senior forest, police, mines and transport officers attended, including IG Kota Range Harendra Mahawar.

Key Facts

  • Review: 14 October 2026, Kota Collectorate
  • Chair: ACS (Forest) Anand Kumar
  • Bundi transport cases since April: 148
  • Kota forest cases: 20, 18 vehicles seized
  • M-sand units: 9 in Kota, 4 in Bundi

Chambal Gharial Sanctuary cases in Kota and Bundi

Since 1 April, the forest department in Bundi has filed 12 cases and seized seven vehicles, while transport officials registered 148 cases and police and mines officials 25 more, the state’s DIPR said. In Kota, the forest department filed 20 cases and seized 18 vehicles, police filed 11 cases and arrested four people, and the mines department filed eight cases.

Forest, police and mines officers at the Kota meeting
Forest, police and mines officers at the Kota meeting Photo: DIPR Rajasthan (official handout, free to use with credit).

M-sand as an alternative to river gravel

To cut demand for river gravel, the state is promoting manufactured sand, or M-sand. Kota now has nine M-sand units and Bundi four, with three more planned in Kota by December. The sanctuary protects endangered gharials and other river life along the Chambal, and gravel taken from its banks destroys their nesting sites. Khaskhabar reported that officials were told to take strict action against offenders.

Why It Matters: Gharials are critically endangered, and the Chambal is one of their last strongholds, so stopping sand and gravel theft is key to their survival.

Also on TrendDesh: Kota Dussehra Mela 2026: 133rd national fair opens with flag hoisting and fireworks · Poppy straw seizure: CBN recovers over 4.2 tonnes in two raids near Rajasthan-MP border

Source: DIPR Rajasthan · Dainik Bhaskar · Khaskhabar

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