The Chhattisgarh High Court has maintained its oversight of a suo motu public interest litigation concerning the alleged illegal excavation of 'muroom' from defence land near Chakarbhata in Bilaspur. The court observed that no new incidents have been reported since its last review.
Court Proceedings and Submissions
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, in its order dated April 22, recorded submissions from both the Union and state governments. Both parties confirmed that no new cases of illegal mining have come to light. The court has directed that the matter be listed again in July 2026 for further review.
Origin of the PIL
The PIL was initiated in December 2024 following media reports alleging that muroom excavated from Army land near Chakarbhata airport was being utilized in private real estate projects along Raipur Road. Taking serious note of the reports, the court had sought affidavits from the Union government, state authorities, and other stakeholders regarding steps taken to curb illegal extraction and its use.
Union Government's Response
In its submission, the Union government stated that the issue surfaced during the process of handing over land for airport development and was flagged to the district administration in April 2024. Concerns over security, encroachment, and unauthorized mining were raised by Army authorities, prompting coordination with civil agencies. Subsequent actions included directions to halt such activities, provision for filing FIRs, and regular patrolling by defence personnel.
State Government's Actions
The state government informed the court that notices were issued to suspected builders, with inspections, royalty verification, and lab testing carried out. While samples from three projects did not match defence land material, one project was fined Rs 6.88 lakh for illegal transport. Authorities said a multi-departmental committee has been formed to prevent illegal excavation, as the court continues its oversight.
