CEC Recommends Phase-Out of Unsustainable River Sand Mining in 3 Years, Dam Desilting as Alternative

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The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has recommended that India phase out unsustainable sand extraction from active river channels within three years and instead turn to dam desilting, manufactured sand (M-sand) and recycled construction waste to meet construction demand. The recommendation is part of CEC Report No. 36 of 2026, filed before the apex court on November 2 in the suo motu case on illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary.

The CEC said a time-bound roadmap should be prepared to progressively phase out unsustainable extraction alongside developing alternative sources. It also proposed digital monitoring of mineral movement through secure electronic transit permits with unique QR codes or RFID-based identification. On dams, the committee recommended a time-bound desiltation programme, with contracts for eligible works awarded within three years, followed by a structured 10-year desiltation cycle for suitable reservoirs. The Ministry of Jal Shakti is to lead a national framework specifying reservoir-wise sediment availability, recoverable quantities, processing requirements, timelines, financing and environmental safeguards.

The CEC cited Ministry of Jal Shakti data, placed before Parliament in December 2025, that of 439 reservoirs assessed, gross storage lost to sedimentation averaged 19.24 per cent. It said 23 reservoirs had lost more than half their capacity and Gobind Sagar, behind the Bhakra dam, had shrunk from 9,868 million cubic metres (MCM) to about 7,300 MCM, a loss of 26 per cent. The national register of dams for 2025 lists 6,628 specified dams. The panel recommended that all storage dams over 15 years old that have not been systematically desilted be assessed, and about one-tenth of suitable reservoirs be desilted each year. The recovered sand would be sold through transparent mechanisms. However, the CEC acknowledged that the total volume of accumulated sediment cannot be equated with the quantity that is technically recoverable, environmentally permissible or commercially usable, and that there is no consolidated national database on illegally extracted river sand.

What is the Central Empowered Committee?

The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) was constituted by the Supreme Court of India in 2002 through an order in the T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India case. It was originally set up to monitor the implementation of the court's orders in forest and wildlife matters and to examine pending environmental and forest clearances. The CEC functions as a statutory body under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, following a 2002 notification by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It is empowered to examine any matter relating to the conservation of forests and wildlife and to report its findings and recommendations directly to the Supreme Court.

What was the earlier approach and why did it fail?

The CEC's new recommendation marks a departure from earlier efforts that focused on banning sand mining in specified areas. A 2020 CEC report on Rajasthan found that after the Supreme Court restrained mining, legal sand collection fell from about 57 million tonnes a year to 5 million tonnes. The committee identified that gap as the main driver of illegal mining. The new report states only that alternatives must be developed while ensuring legitimate construction requirements are met.

What are the proposed alternatives and their limits?

The CEC recommended three alternative sources: reservoir sediment from dam desilting, M-sand (manufactured sand produced by crushing suitable rock that meets BIS specifications), and recycled construction and demolition waste. Desilting would serve the dual purpose of restoring reservoir storage capacity and meeting part of the growing demand for construction materials. However, the CEC acknowledged that the potential of reservoir sediment as a source of construction sand has not been adequately assessed at the national level, and that the total volume of accumulated sediment cannot be equated with what is technically recoverable, environmentally permissible or commercially usable.

What is the next step?

The Ministry of Jal Shakti is expected to lead a comprehensive national framework for desilting in consultation with the Central Water Commission, National Dam Safety Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and state governments. Contracts for eligible desiltation works are to be awarded within three years, followed by a structured 10-year desiltation cycle for suitable reservoirs. The Bhakra Beas Management Board's desilting project, which plans to excavate deposits up to two metres deep in the Bhakra reservoir, has been cited as a model.