Boom in illegal sand mining threatens vulnerable rivers causing extreme degradation. The demand of sand will rise because sand is the main ingredient in making concrete and cement. Mining leads to erosion which makes river plains more vulnerable to flooding. The world is 'running out of sand', and it's fuelling murders, mafias and ecological devastation. People of Goa welcome the closure of illegal sand mining.
The rivers are damaged by sand mining, which can change the course of waterways, erode banks and disrupt wildlife. It’s the natural resource that is the most exploited on the planet. In some states the report on deaths caused by incidents relating to illegal sand mining and attacks on law enforcement agencies exposes the devastating impact of the operation on the lives and livelihoods of riverine communities and underlines the need for regulating the activity. Courts have been issuing orders in favour of regulation of sand mining but they are hardly implemented. The authorities should do regular patrolling through flying squads at all stretches of rivers at random intervals to check against sand mining.
