The Madras High Court has expressed grave concern and issued directives to the Tamil Nadu government over a massive gap between the detection of illegal mining activities and the subsequent filing of criminal cases in the state. The court has ordered the Chief Secretary to intervene and ensure better coordination among departments to curb this environmental and revenue menace.
Shocking Statistics Reveal Enforcement Failure
A division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and C Kumarappan was presented with disturbing data from the Director of Geology and Mining. The statistics revealed that between 2020 and November 2025, the department detected a staggering 1,439 incidents of illicit mining and quarrying operations across Tamil Nadu.
However, in a revelation that stunned the court, it was informed that only 135 criminal cases were filed in connection with these violations. An additional 24 private complaints were lodged, but the overall prosecution rate remains alarmingly low. The bench explicitly stated that the provided data was "disturbing and suspicious" and demanded answers for the poor conversion of detections into legal action.
The Blame Game and Legal Hurdle
During the proceedings, counsel for the geology and mining department explained a key procedural bottleneck. He submitted that under the existing government order and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) is designated as the competent authority to lodge a formal criminal complaint.
This legal framework, the counsel argued, effectively ties the hands of the mining department officials. Even when they detect illegal activities, they are unable to directly file police complaints and must rely on the RDO of the jurisdiction to initiate legal proceedings.
Court's Stern Directive to Chief Secretary
The High Court, however, found this explanation insufficient and placed the onus squarely on the state administration to fix the systemic failure. Recording the submissions, the bench issued a clear order.
The court directed the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary to issue circulars to all District Collectors. These circulars must instruct officials to prevent illegal mining and ensure close monitoring through coordinated efforts of the revenue, police, and geology and mining departments.
The judges emphasized constitutional duty, stating, "Non-cooperation on the part of the revenue officials or lack of coordination... would result in unconstitutionality as the authorities from various departments are expected to coordinate for efficient public administration."
Accountability for Failing RDOs
In a significant observation, the bench also outlined the chain of accountability. It ruled that if a jurisdictional RDO fails to lodge a complaint upon receiving information from the mining department, then the Commissioner of the department is duty-bound to lodge a complaint against the negligent RDO.
The court reinforced that RDOs are legally obligated to file complaints as soon as they receive information about illegal mining from the technical department. This order was passed while hearing a public interest litigation filed by P Natesan, who alleged illegal mining on encroached land in Nallampalli Taluk, Dharmapuri district.
The Madras High Court's intervention highlights a critical gap in environmental law enforcement in Tamil Nadu, pushing the top bureaucracy to ensure that detection of crimes leads to definitive legal consequences.
