Sir — This refers to the article, “Strike at the backbone of sand mafia” (August 8) by Kota Sriraj. The writer has made some very valuable suggestions while stressing the need to find and encourage use of a substitute for sand.
Given that a huge quantity of sand is required for road and power projects, it is time to find an alternative for this minor mineral. This is important as illegal excavation of riverbeds has resulted in a huge ecological imbalance.