India, March 14 -- The Supreme Court on Friday took suo motu cognisance of illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threats to endangered aquatic wildlife.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said the court has taken cognisance of recent newspaper reports highlighting rampant illegal mining in areas where the endangered gharial (long-snouted crocodile) species preservation programme is going on.

Due to the illegal mining, the endangered gharials have to relocate, the court said.

The bench said that even areas where the Madhya Pradesh chief minister had released gharials have come under illegal mining.

"Place the matter before the chief justice of India for necessary directions," the top court ordered the...