Terming illegal sand mining as a serious issue, the Supreme Court on Wednesday stated that such activities must be dealt with effectively and asked five states, including Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh, to provide facts and figures on the matter. The court was hearing a 2018 public interest litigation (PIL) filed by M Alagarsamy, who sought a CBI investigation into illegal sand mining in rivers and beaches in Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. The petition alleged that unregulated illegal sand mining has caused environmental havoc, with authorities allowing entities to operate without the necessary environmental plans and clearances. A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar emphasized the need to address the issue, stating that illegal sand mining must be effectively tackled. The CJI noted that when advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner, claimed that the states were not taking action and instead were covering up the issue, the bench sought clarity on whether environmental impact assessments (EIA) were required for sand mining activities. If so, it also sought information on the necessary prerequisites for such assessments. The court directed the counsel representing the five states to come prepared with facts and figures for the next hearing, which is scheduled to take place in the week starting January 27, 2025. Senior advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, representing Tamil Nadu, assured the court that the state was taking effective steps to address the issue. On July 16, the bench had directed Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh to file their responses to the PIL within six weeks, or face a fine of Rs 20,000. Justice Khanna remarked that while the Rs 20,000 fine might not be commensurate with the scale of illegal sand mining, it would encourage the states to file the required affidavits. Bhushan was assisted by advocate Pranav Sachdeva. On January 24, 2019, the Supreme Court had issued notices to the Centre, CBI, and the five states, directing them to respond to the petition. The plea argued that due to the lack of implementation of guidelines by the states, several sand mining scams had occurred across the country. It claimed that citizens' right to life was being affected, as illegal sand mining was harming the environment and worsening the law and order situation. The petition further requested that no environmental clearance should be granted for sand mining projects without a proper EIA, environmental management plan, and public consultation, as per the 2006 EIA notification. It also called for a ban on granting environmental clearance to sand mining projects without considering the cumulative impact in the area. Additionally, the plea demanded that those involved in illegal sand mining be prosecuted, their leases terminated, and a CBI investigation be initiated into the alleged scams.