The Madras High Court has observed that gangs involved in illegal sand and mineral mining were operating like a mafia, backed by political influence and financial muscle.
The observation was made by a Division Bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and C Kumarappan while hearing a batch of cases relating to illegal sand and mineral mining in Tamil Nadu.
The Bench said that preventing the theft of sand and minerals was the responsibility of the district Collectors concerned and directed that action should be initiated against Revenue Department officials who fail to report such offences. The judges also directed that police protection must be provided to social activists and journalists who lodge complaints regarding illegal sand and mineral mining.
During an earlier hearing, the High Court had directed the Commissioner of Geology and Mining to file a report on the steps taken to curb illegal mining activities. When the matter came up for hearing again, a report was filed on behalf of the Commissioner stating that the State government had made it mandatory for lorries transporting sand and other minerals to install GPS devices. The report said that the process of fitting GPS devices would be completed by 31 March 2026.
The report further stated that 1,439 illegal quarries had been detected between 2020 and November 2025 and that 135 cases had been registered in connection with illegal sand and mineral mining during the period.
While observing that the report submitted by the Tamil Nadu government was acceptable, the Bench emphasised that the measures outlined must be implemented in practice. The judges questioned why details such as the number of cases in which convictions had been secured were not provided in the report.
The court also raised concerns over the effectiveness of penalties, questioning the utility of imposing a fine of ₹5 lakh when illegal mining worth ₹5 crore was being carried out.
While passing orders in the case, the judges reiterated that those involved in illegal mineral mining were functioning like mafia gangs with political and monetary backing. The Bench further directed that surprise inspections should be conducted to prevent illegal sand and mineral mining and subsequently closed the case.
Source: DT Next
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