Regulate illicit sand mining
Letter to the Editor
Dear Sir,
National Green Tribunal had to direct the state governments to take remedial action against illegal sand mining especially in a submerged water area. Besides, extraction of sand-mainly through an open pit -mined from beaches and inland dunes or dredged from ocean and river beds.
Ironically, beach sand may contain garnet, leucoxene, sillimanite, and monazite. Sand mining presents opportunities to extract rutile, ilmenite, and zircon. Sand mining is the world’s largest mining endeavour, responsible for 85 percent of all mineral extraction. Disturbance of underwater and coastal sand is due to illicit sand mining. It can also destroy fisheries and can alter the river bed.
Globally 80% of the beaches are retreating for example in Indonesia more than 20 islands already disappeared. Due to loss of the natural sand barrier salt water seeps into soil making land unsuitable for farming.
Dredges destroy the natural habitat of countless maritime species endangering the marine food chain from plankton to whales. Coastal areas will face tourism crisis if illegal sand mining continues in the country.
Sand extraction from the river banks weakens the foundation of nearby infrastructure for example in our country already bridges collapsed due to sand mining. Therefore, illicit sand mining should be regulated.
(VijayKumar H K, Raichur, Karnataka)
KV News
