Now sand is mined from almost all rivers of India, irrespective of its adverse ecological considerations to meet various construction activities. The major uses of sand is for construction of dams, buildings, bridges, culverts, roads, filling of pits, sunken lands, ponds, swamps, low-lying grounds, besides strengthening foundations and improving qualities of soil.
Sand consists of loose grains of rock, which can easily occupy the voids. There is no substitute of sand, which very quickly absorbs water and releases the same manly into oceans, rivers, streams, pits and deserts lands etc.
The oceanic sand, desert sand and pit sand do not come in masonry uses. There are three types of sands such as coarse sand, fine sand and medium grain sand.
When coarse sand is used for void filling, fine sand is required for very limited works. The sand obtained from sea- coast and desert sand do not come into any use because these are all brine sands, with salt being a major element in them.
The pit sand has a lot of impurities. Hence, it is just used for void filling. But masonry works generally are done with sands from rivers, streams and rivulets. Mortar being a major component of the fine sand, it is used for all masonry works and structure building.
Hence, the mortar-based sand is highly useful and indispensible for the concrete structures and high rises.
The entire river system of India is victim of sand mining with or without the knowledge of the administration. Because of quarrying sand from river and rivulets throughout the year irrespective of seasons, a large number of aquatic animals, both micro and macro, suffer due to destruction of their habitats. Even the amphibians who live within the surroundings of the banks of rivers also suffer most for sand mining and its adverse impact on their habitats.
Once upon a time, the river banks were rich habitats of many flora and fauna in the peninsular as well as the Himalayan regions. Generally, the evergreen species are found in the river bank ecology. But they are gradually diminishing due to constant damages caused to their habitats by sand mining and lifting without bar.
In India two types of rivers are seen such as the Himalayan river and the peninsular river. Some of them flow down to the Bay of Bengal, while some others to the Arabian Sea. There are three types of river systems such as Ganga – Bramhaputra – Indus, southern plateau rivers and eastern and western rivers. When the rivers of plateaus of southern India mainly originate from the Western Ghats and the Vindhyachal hill ranges, the eastern Indian river systems have originated of the Eastern Ghat.
All these rivers of India have now fallen victim to no-holds-barred sand mining. Other than sand mining, the brick kilns established on the banks of many rivers also cause irreparable damages to the surrounding ecology.
These kilns violate the provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986. The water of rivers and streams are also polluted for mining and manufacture of bricks on the embankment areas. In general, ever green grass and creeper species, including
Bena or khas –khas which were pre-dominating in the river banks of every stream are now a thing of the past.
They have been wiped out. Grasses are very good soil binders which protect the loose soil and sands of rivers and streams. The propagation of the grass is done by water and air. The species are largely exploited for its leaf and roots too. Its leaves are used as mats.
Further, there are several species like crabs, snails, water snakes, fresh water fishes, crocodiles, tortoises, monitor lizards and several aquatic creatures and amphibians, including several water birds which live in the river or near it. They suffer most for extraction of sand from steams and river beds.
Due to the sinking of river beds, flood is caused during rainy season. The floods also damage bridges, culverts and roads and cause havoc for the riverside villagers.
Tons and Tons of river sands are used in Talcher underground coalmines for filling of voids. This is a regular feature in Talcher where river sands of Bramhani river are mined in gross violation of the laws.
The administration must crack its whip to control the indiscriminate sand mining from the river beds. laws must be implemented strictly and action should be taken against the offenders without fail.
The corrupt officials who are hand-in-glove with the sand mafias must be taken to task and exemplary action must be taken against them. Saving our rivers and their eco-systems is our prime responsibility. By no means should the administration be lax on this front.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist)