The Kerala government has decided to impose a complete ban on sand mining in six rivers for the next three years.
Even though sand cannot be extracted from the Neyyar, Vamanapuram, Kallada, Kuttiyadi, Kabani and Chandragiri rivers, regulated sand extraction will be allowed in the Chaliyar, Pampa, Kadalundy, Ithikkara and Periyar rivers.
The government’s decision was based on the report of river bank mapping and sand river auditing conducted as per rules stipulated in the Kerala River Bank Protection and Regulation of Removal of Sand Rules [Chapter 3, pt 12(2)]
Total quantity of sand above the summer water level in these rivers is estimated to be nil.
— Sand Audit Report, Kerala River Bank Protection and Regulation of Removal of Sand Rules
The sand river auditing report, conducted by different agencies, was compiled by the Departments of Environmental Sciences, Aquatic Biology and Fisheries and University of Kerala, an official release said.
Regulated Mining in Five Rivers
Revenue department has fixed the quantity of sand that could be extracted from each of the five rivers, where mining will be allowed, in the next three years as per the report.
Extraction of sand would be allowed only in a phased manner and, the report said, mineable sand quantity would be revised based on a subsequent sand audit.
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