Question 1

A draft District Survey Report is legally sufficient to initiate the e-auction process for sand mining, provided it is finalized before mining begins.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court explicitly ruled that a draft DSR is legally non-existent for granting clearances or conducting auctions; a final, approved DSR is a mandatory prerequisite.

Question 2

The Central Government issues mining leases and collects revenue for sand mining since it requires Central environmental guidelines.

Accepted Answer

Sand is a minor mineral; State governments hold the power to issue leases, frame rules, and collect revenue under Section 15 of the MMDR Act, 1957.

Question 3

Consider the following statements regarding the regulation of sand mining in India:
1. Sand is classified as a major mineral under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
2. State governments have the power to frame rules to prevent illegal mining, transportation, and storage of sand.
3. According to a recent Supreme Court judgment, a draft District Survey Report (DSR) can be used to initiate e-auctions if approved by the District Magistrate.
How many of the above statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

(a) Only one — Statement 1 is incorrect: Sand is classified as a 'minor mineral' under Section 3(e) of the MMDR Act, 1957. Statement 2 is correct: Under Section 15 and Section 23C of the MMDR Act, State governments are empowered to make rules regarding minor minerals and prevent illegal mining. Statement 3 is incorrect: The Supreme Court explicitly ruled that a draft DSR cannot be used as a legal basis to conduct e-auctions or issue clearances; a final DSR is mandatory. Therefore, only one statement is correct.

Question 4

Match the following regulatory mechanisms/principles (List I) with their corresponding domain or authority (List II):
List I:
A. Minor Minerals definition
B. Sustainable Sand Mining Guidelines
C. Rule-making power for Minor Minerals
D. Precautionary Principle

List II:
1. State Governments
2. Environmental Jurisprudence
3. MMDR Act Section 3(e)
4. MoEFCC
Select the correct answer using the codes below:

Accepted Answer

(a) A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2 — A matches 3: Minor minerals are defined under Section 3(e) of the MMDR Act, 1957. B matches 4: The Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines (2016) were issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). C matches 1: State governments have the rule-making power for minor minerals under Section 15 of the MMDR Act. D matches 2: The Precautionary Principle is a core tenet of environmental jurisprudence (preventing harm before scientific certainty is absolute), which the SC upheld by requiring a final DSR.

Question 5

Assertion (A): Environmental Clearance and e-auctions for sand mining cannot legally proceed based on a draft District Survey Report (DSR).
Reason (R): A finalized DSR is required to accurately map the natural sand replenishment rate and assess ecological impact before any extraction rights are auctioned.
Select the correct answer from the following:

Accepted Answer

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A. — The Assertion is true, as affirmed by the May 2025 Supreme Court judgment upholding the NGT order. The Reason is also true and correctly explains the Assertion: the entire purpose of the DSR under MoEFCC guidelines is to evaluate the river's ecological carrying capacity and sand replenishment rate. Allowing auctions on a 'draft' defeats this purpose, hence the final DSR is a non-negotiable prerequisite.

Supreme Court Mandates Valid DSR for Sand Mining

SC Directs Formulation of National GM Crop Policy