The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Ban sand mining in Amaravathi, Cauvery basins: citizens panel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 19, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Ban sand mining in Amaravathi, Cauvery basins: citizens panel

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, AUG. 18. The high level citizens committee on sand mining in the Amaravathi and Cauvery river basins in Karur district has urged the Government to ban sand mining as heavy ecological damage had been caused to the basins.

Releasing a report of the committee here today, the convener, V. Karuppan, demanded that a scientific study be conducted to find out the extent damage caused to the environment and suggest measures for preserving the river basins. Local bodies should be given powers to stop sand mining in their areas if they found that sand mining would affect the aquatic fauna and create imbalance in river ecology.

Mr. Karuppan alleged that though private sand mining was taken over by the Public Works department the situation had not improved as the sub-contractors of the department continued to plunder the riverbeds with the connivance of officials.

Despite the Madras High Court's directive that no poclain should be used for sand quarrying, these machines were being used by the sub-contractors. Similarly the sub-contractors were indulging in indiscriminate mining though the court had issued orders that mining should be done only in certain specified areas. These violations were being carried out with the connivance of PWD officials who he charged did not oblige even the District Collectors' order.

He said that in the absence of proper monitoring by the department no one was aware how much quantity of sand had been removed from the riverbeds.

If the present situation continued, he warned major rivers in the State would be rendered ``dead.''

Another major problem, he said, was sinking of deep borewells by local dyeing units depleting the groundwater. Already these units had polluted the river by letting out their chemical wastes into the river. Now they deprived local farmers of their source of water.

He appealed to various social welfare organisations and non-governmental organisations to conduct awareness campaign throughout the State to preserve water resources.

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