Illegal Sand Mining is New Gold Rush in India

At a time when the planet’s reserve of sand from its beaches is threatened by smuggling and illegal mining, environmentalists are asking India, as the present international custodian of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), to take a lead in the control of sand mining.

Illegal Sand Mining Unabated at Riverbeds, Karnataka State, India

The menace of illegal sand mining continues to ravage the Cauvery river and its four tributaries, posing a serious threat to the environment. Most of this sand, extracted from riverbeds, feeds the construction industry in Bangalore. This goes on in defiance of the ban imposed.

Illegal Sand Mining, Banks of the Yamuna River, India

The rain managed to do what the district administration could not for long. The continuing downpour has dampened illegal sand mining operations along the Yamuna river. The officials cited the vast ecological destruction along the Konkan coast as an example of the destructive nature of such illegal sand mining.

Beach Sand Mining Rampant, Malabar Coast, India

Banking in on the scarcity of sand for construction activities, illegal sand miners and smugglers are thriving in different parts of the Malabar coast. Mining of beach sand is the new threat faced by the region as many illegal players in the filed find hotspots on the beach side of the district to evade the eyes of officials.

Boom Time For Illegal Sand Mining, Kerala State, India

With the coastal city of Kozhikode’s construction sector flourishing, illegal sand mining and misuse of sand passes have spawned a multi-crore business, setting off a range of social, legal and environmental issues.

Opposition to Beach Sand Mining Mounts, India

The Akhila Bharata Rythu Coolie Sangham and other organisations are vehemently opposing the sand mining activity in Vajrapukotturu — situated in the state of Andhra Pradesh on India’s southeastern coast — as they believe that it is detrimental to the interests of fishermen and other communities that depend on the sea for their livelihood.