Lok Sabha Question No. 19 (STARRED), answered on 2025-07-21
Subject: Impact of Illegal Sand Mining
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Dr. Kadiyam Kavya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 19

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025

## Impact of Illegal Sand Mining

## *19.       DR. KADIYAM KAVYA

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has conducted any study on the impact of illegal sand mining on the Godavari riverbank in erstwhile Warangal district of Telangana and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the afforestation projects undertaken in the said district under the National Mission for a Green India;
- (c) the measures taken/being taken to protect the Pakhal Lake and Wildlife Sanctuary from encroachments and pollution; and
- (d) the funds allocated for promoting eco-tourism in Warangal's forest areas during the last year and the current year?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## Statement  Referred  to  in  Reply  to  paras  (a)  to  (d)  Lok  Sabha  Starred Question No.*19 due for reply on 21.07.2025 (Monday) regarding 'Impact of Illegal Sand Mining' by Dr. Kadiyam Kavya

(a) Sand  is  classified  as  a  minor  mineral  under  Section  3(e)  of  the  Mines  and  Minerals (Development  and  Regulation)  [MMDR]  Act,  1957.  Illegal  mining  is  defined  in  Mineral Concession Rules, 2016 notified under MMDR Act, 1957 by Ministry of Mines. In terms of section 15 and Section 23C of the MMDR Act, the power to regulate, monitor, and prevent illegal mining of minor minerals, including sand, rests with the respective State Governments. As  per  the  information  provided  by  the  Telangana  Pollution  Control  Board  (TGPCB),  no complaint regarding  illegal sand mining on  the Godavari  river banks has been received by them. As per the information available in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, no specific study  has been conducted on the impact of illegal sand mining on the Godavari river banks in the erstwhile Warangal district of Telangana.

The Central Government, through policy initiatives and technological interventions, supplements the efforts of State Governments in addressing the issues of illegal sand mining. The  Ministry  of  Mines,  has  taken  several  steps  to  support  State  enforcement  mechanisms, including the amendment of the MMDR Act in 2015 to introduce stringent punitive provisions, mandatory  registration  and  reporting  under  Rule  45  of  the  Mineral  Conservation  and Development Rules (MCDR). Ministry of Mines has also developed the Mining Surveillance System (MSS) to check illegal mining activities around mining leases and to assist the State Governments to detect and curb illegal mining activities.

MoEFCC has issued Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines (SSMG), 2016 and Enforcement  &  Monitoring  Guidelines  for  Sand  Mining  (EMGSM),  2020  for  providing sustainable  sand  mining  and  for  prevention  of  illegal  sand  mining  through  monitoring mechanism  by  respective State Governments.Procedures  for replenishment study and preparation of district survey report have been provided in the SSMG, 2016 and EMGSM. 2020. These studies and reports can lead to systematic, scientific and environment friendly sand mining, if properly followed.

(b) National Mission for a Green India (GIM) is one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. It provides funding support to increase the forest/tree cover and improve quality of existing forest, based on the perspective plans submitted by the States in  accordance  with  the  guidelines  of  GIM.  The  state  of  Telangana  has  not  submitted  their Perspective  Plan  under  GIM  and  is  hence  presently  not  participating  in  the  Green  India Mission. As per inputs received from the State Forest Department, Telangana, no afforestation projects have been undertaken in the Warangal region under the National Mission for a Green India.

(c) The MoEF&CC has notified the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017, for effective conservation and management of wetlands in the country. Under these Rules, the powers  &  functions  for  conservation  and  management  of  wetlands  were  delegated  to  the State/UT wetland authorities and the State Governments/UT Administrations.

MoEFCC has notified the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary on 30.11.2016 which provides for certain prohibited activities within ESZ including commercial mining, polluting industries, major hydroelectric projects, production of hazardous substances, discharge of untreated effluents in natural water bodies or land area,etc.

Based  on  the  inputs  received  from  the  State  Forest  Department,  Telangana,  the  following measures  are  being  taken  for  protection  of  Pakhal  Lake  and  Wildlife  Sanctuary  from  the encroachments and pollution:

- i. Retrieval of encroached areas
- ii. Prosecution of encroachment cases U/s 20 of Telangana Forest Act, 1967.
- iii. Planting in the encroachment retrieval areas.
- iv. Regular Perambulation to prevent encroachments of forest areas and Wildlife poaching activities
- v. Awareness  programs  conducted  to  control  wildlife  poaching  and  encroachments  in Wildlife Sanctuary area.
- vi. Strict ban on plastic use at Eco-tourism area of Pakhal Lake

As per the information received from the Forest Department of Telangana, an amount of Rs. 274  lakhs  has  been  allocated  for  eco-restoration  works  at  Pakhal  under  the  Harithanidhi scheme.

As informed by the TGPCB, Regional office, Warangal, water samples are being collected from Pakhal lake every month under National Water Monitoring Programme.

(d) The Ministry has issued guidelines on sustainable eco-tourism in forest and wildlife areas in  2021.  The  Ministry  provides  financial  assistance  to  States  /UTs  under  the  centrally sponsored scheme 'Development of Wildlife Habitats" for conservation and management of wildlife and development of its habitat, as per the Annual Plan of Operation received from States/UTs. The activities supported under the scheme includes eco-tourism. No funds have been allocated to the State of Telangana for ecotourism under the scheme during the last one year and current year.

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