New Delhi, April 18 -- The Supreme Court on Friday ordered heightened vigil, strict prosecution and accountability of officials to curb illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary spanning Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. In a suo motu case, the court slammed the "lackadaisical response" of the states, warning that continued inaction could invite extraordinary measures, including deployment of paramilitary forces and a complete ban on sand mining. A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the failure of state governments was "writ large on the face of record" and could even suggest "tacit connivance". It flagged a "disturbing pattern of inaction and administrative indifference". The court directed ...