Srinagar, April 22 -- Supreme Court's latest intervention on illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary is a powerful reminder that environmental governance in India is not merely about compliance with statutes but about safeguarding the very foundations of life and biodiversity. The court's observation that the statutory framework is "well-armed" but administrative authorities are "dragging their feet" captures the essence of a recurring problem: laws exist, but enforcement is compromised by vested interests, political patronage, and bureaucratic inertia. This is not unique to Chambal; it is a nationwide malaise that has allowed mafias to thrive at the cost of rivers, forests, and fragile ecosystems.

By invoking Article 21 of...