Kerala coastline, India. Photo source: ©© Manoj MP
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“The Union government’s approval for coastal sand mining by local communities using manual methods will have disastrous consequences as the provisions of the order will be twisted by the vested interests,” according to Renjan Mathew Varghese, State Director of WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature)-India.
A recent survey by WWF-India along the coast of the Kerala State, had revealed the frightening picture of the extent of illegal coastal beach sand-mining being conducted by organised groups in various places.
“Under the cover of night, truck-loads of beach sand are being transported away to be used for construction purposes,” he said.
Earlier, beach sand was not used for mainline constructions owing to its saline nature. “As we have exhausted all our rivers of its sand deposits, the beach sand is being washed with freshwater to reduce salinity and then mixed with normal sand and sold in the open market,” Mr. Varghese said…
Environment Ministry Removes Obstacles To Sand Mining, Deccan Herald
Mining of sand from rivers and estuaries by traditional coastal communities is now possible with the Environment Ministry removing the obstacles to it in coastal states with certain conditions. The Ministry’s decision came amid growing concerns by enviromentalists that sand mining was causing depletion of the rivers and developers seeking permission for the same…
