Date:02/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/02/stories/2007070253370300.htm

Kerala - Pathanamthitta

Eco group projects dangers of sand mining

Staff Reporter

Flouting rules: Workers engaged in illegal sand mining in the Manimala river near Kuttoor in Thiruvalla on Sunday, violating the District Collector’s order prohibiting sand mining for three months from July 1.

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Manimalayar Samrakshana Samiti (MSS) at Kulathoor in Mallappaly taluk, affiliated to the Aluva-based All Kerala River Protection Council, has said that Government should give top priority to river conservation since unchecked exploitation of river resources continue in the State.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, the MSS general secretary, V.N.Gopinatha Pillai, said it was high time the Chief Minister took sincere initiatives to plug loopholes in the Kerala River Bank Protection and Regulation of Sand Mining Act, 2001, and to implement it in letter and spirit.

Mr. Pillai who had been attacked by goons allegedly belonging to the sand mafia on several occasions, said that the mafia has extended its tentacles over the river basins of Manimala, Pampa and Achenkovil. Illegal river-sand mining has become old news in this part of the State, he added.

Mr. Pillai said that many bridges in these rivers are under threat of collapsing owing to sand mining from close vicinity of the bridge for the past several years.

According to him, 15 bridges across Manimala and 10 each over Pampa and Achankoil were the worst affected. The foundation of all these bridges has been bared due to indiscriminate sand mining. If the Government failed to take remedial measures on a war-footing, these bridges could collapse in less than 10 years, Mr Pillai cautioned.

He added that according to experts, 20 to 30 ft high sheets of water rolled down Pampa and Manimala during monsoon and some of these bridges have become so weak that they might not withstand the pressure of a flash flood.

Mr. Pillai said that the Mining and Geology department too has found six major bridges in Manimala in a dangerous condition owing to soil erosion from their foundation.

The deep pits formed in the riverbed due to unscientific sand mining have become veritable death traps to people taking bath in the river. As many as 12 people were fatally trapped in these pits in Manimala alone in the past two years, he added.

The MSS leader alleged that illegal sand collection and smuggling was taking place at the connivance of revenue, panchayat and police officials and with the patronage of local politicians.