Greens see red over Keralam govt’s move to permit sand mining in 17 rivers

Environmental activists have expressed concerns about the impact of the Keralam government’s reported decision to permit extraction of 1.7 crore tonnes of sand from 17 rivers across the State from December 2026.

Functionaries of the Society for the Protection of the Environment, Kerala (SPEK) say that although this is presented as a flood mitigation step, no environmental impact assessment seems to have been conducted. SPEK president K. Koyatti and secretary K.K. Devadasan point out that it could also serve as a pretext for indiscriminate extraction of sand from all rivers and streams. The claim that dredging silt from a river prevents flooding lacks clarity, they say.

Mr. Koyatti says every river is a complex system, spanning various stages from its source to where it meets the ocean. It consists not only of water, but also of sand, soil, organic matter, aquatic plants, and aquatic life. “A river cannot truly be a river without sand. The presence of sand in a river is essential for controlling floods, facilitating the seepage of water into the soil which is later preserved as groundwater, and ensuring the retention of water in paddy fields, wetlands, wells and other waterbodies. Agriculture, irrigation, fisheries, and various development works are all founded upon this ecosystem, which has evolved over long periods,” he says.

The environmental activists highlight the role of rivers in replenishing wells, one of the main sources of drinking water in rural areas, which also help maintain the groundwater level. “When sand is extracted from rivers, which is also called channel mining, the riverbed is lowered. Consequently, sunlight is unable to reach the bottom of the river. As a result, the vegetation and other plant life on the riverbed do not receive the necessary sunlight, preventing photosynthesis and leading to their destruction. Small fish that depend on these organisms, as well as the larger fish that feed on them, perish. The ecosystem along the riverbank is shattered. The survival of benthic organisms, or bottom-dwelling aquatic life, is affected too. This impacts the livelihoods of the fishing community,” he says.

The activists also say that flooding is mainly caused by the reclamation of the flood plains of rivers and construction activities, and not through accumulation of sand. Another reason for flooding is the sudden, intense rainfall or the massive surge of water resulting from the abrupt opening of dams, they say. In urban areas, flooding is primarily caused by the blockage of drains that lead into rivers, as well as the reclamation of wetlands, the SPEK functionaries claim.

Precise legal framework sought

However, the activists also admit that since sand is essential for the construction sector, it may be removed in limited quantities, based on precise studies and in proportion to the amount that accumulates over time in check dams and rivers. They demand that a precise legal framework must be established to regulate sand extraction from rivers, specifying the permissible quantity, the timing and method of extraction, and the exact locations.

Mr. Koyatti and Mr. Devadasan say sand extraction may only be carried out in strict adherence to the directives and supervision of a monitoring committee, which shall comprise representatives from relevant government departments, such as Revenue, Environment, and Local Self-Governments. Large-scale, widespread mechanical and manual sand extraction will only devastate the 44 rivers and their ecosystems in the State, they add.

SPEK is organising a discussion on the issue in Kozhikode on October 24 to commemorate environmental activist A. Achyuthan.