Kerala to Resume River Sand Mining After 10-Year Ban, Eyes Sustainable Approach

After nearly a decade-long ban, the Kerala government has cleared the way for the resumption of river sand mining in the state. The Revenue Department recently issued an order approving fresh guidelines to restart mining, aiming to improve river flow and tap into domestic sand resources for the construction sector.

River sand mining was halted in 2016 after uncontrolled extraction led to environmental concerns. The Ministry of Environment and Forests had then mandated environmental clearance for mining operations. The new framework aligns with the 2020 Enforcement & Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining (EMGSM) and adheres to directives from the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal.

Under the revised norms, mining will only proceed after preparing District Survey Reports (DSRs) for rivers across all districts. These reports, valid for five years, will guide environmental clearances. The CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) has already prepared DSRs for 11 districts.

Of these, DSRs from Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, and Kollam were approved by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) in January 2024 but are currently under revision. Reports from Kannur and Kasaragod are under SEIAA review, while those from Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam are in the public consultation stage. Kozhikode, Kottayam, and Idukki were found to have no viable mining sites.

Between 2021 and 2024, sand audits covered 32 of Kerala’s 44 rivers. The audit found that “restricted sand mining” may be permitted in 16 rivers, while 15 others will remain off-limits for the next three years.

Rivers cleared for controlled mining include Pamba, Periyar, Bharathapuzha, and Chaliyar. Rivers like Neyyar, Meenachil, Kabani, and Chandragiri (Part I) fall under the restricted category.

Kerala’s sand mining is tightly regulated under the 2001 Kerala Protection of River Banks Act. Only government bodies conduct mining, led by local Kadavu Committees under the supervision of the District Expert Committee, chaired by the District Collector.

The renewed initiative reflects a cautious yet necessary move to balance ecological concerns with development needs.