Alternative construction materials to river sand
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Acute shortage of river sand has escalated construction costs. Now, research institutions are developing alternatives that can be used for construction.
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PHOTO: K.K. NAJEEB
INDISCRIMINATE MINING: A scene from BharathaPuzha.
An acute shortage of river sand has been affecting the construction sector. The scarcity has led to the skyrocketing price of sand, escalating construction costs. The situation has dashed the dreams of many in the lower- and middle-income groups to own a house.
Indiscriminate mining of sand has depleted the natural resource and ravaged the rivers of the State.
The Bharathapuzha, flowing through Palakkad district, is a classical example of the malady.
Indanur Gopi, secretary, Bharathapuzha Samrakashana Samithi (protection committee), says the indiscriminate mining has caused an environmental disaster, destroying rivers and streams throughout the State. The major rivers in Palakkad district, such as the Bharathapuzha, Bhavani, Siruvani, Kunthi, Kalpathy, Korayar and Gayathripuzha, have been damaged.
The diminishing stock of sand and the increasing environmental concern had forced the State Government to ban sand mining in major rivers. But the ban is honoured more in its breach. Illegal sand-mining is going on in most parts of the district, says P.S. Panikkar, secretary, Malampuzha Dam Protection Committee.
Now, inferior-quality sand, with silt and impurities such as mica and coal, is being sold. Unscrupulous persons exploit the scarcity and high price by selling river sand adulterated with cheap sea sand, which causes structural failures in buildings.
There were studies about the depletion of river sand and the need for scientific management and exploitation of the available resource. The report of a study on "Kerala model of sand mining system," taken up as part of a University Grants Commission project by N.M. Namboodiri, says the possibility of a scientific method of sand-mining should be looked into to save the rivers and also to provide the much-needed construction material.
"It is difficult to find out availability of sand on the river-bed because it is a replenishing product by the geological work of the running water. Therefore, it is necessary to find out the quantity of products settling on the riverbed and the quantity transported from the riverbed in a year."
It is calculated that a minimum 3,35,710 loads of sand might have been taken from the Bharathapuzha every year by the earlier auctioning system from 50 centres. Almost all sources of the river have been blocked by 11 big dams in different locations on the riverhead. Hence, the flow of products of erosion from the upper reaches has been blocked, and only those from the lower reaches settle in the riverbed.
The river is in an advanced stage of destruction. It has changed course and formed a grazing land, the study report says.
Manufactured sand
Following the shortage of river sand, some research institutions are developing alternatives that can be used for construction.
The Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Government College of Engineering, Thiruvananthaparam, has developed a technology, to produce sand from hard granite.
Called manufactured sand (M-sand), it is made by Poabs Group in its plants at Ernakulam, using what the company calls a state-of-the-art manufacturing process. It is meant for concreting and plastering. The cubical-shaped M-sand has a surface that gives better binding strength and saves cement, labour and water.
One of the pioneers of M-sand in Palakkad, Sainudeen Pathiripala, says it is cheaper than river sand. But the Government is not promoting it, though it is of great importance to the State. M-sand can save the rivers of the State, preventing an environmental disaster.
In the State budget, a 4 per cent tax was imposed on it. Mani Shankar, founder general-secretary of Licensed Engineers and Supervisors' Federation (LENS- FED), says that M-sand manufacturing units should be started in every district in the cooperative sector. Now river sand is brought from Chavadi in Tamil Nadu to Kerala.
Six units of river sand in a big lorry cost Rs. 18,000. Thus, it is a big problem in getting river sand of good quality, he says.
Hence, the Government should withdraw the tax on M-sand and provide incentives to start new units so that quality sand is made available without destroying rivers and environment, says Jacob Thomas, managing director of Poabs M-Sand Ltd.
G. PRABHAKARAN
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