Kerala clears 1.7 crore‑tonne sand mining plan for 17 rivers, sparking SPEK protest

Decision

Kerala government has approved the extraction of 1.7 crore tonnes of sand from 17 rivers across the state, to begin in December 2026.

Activist Concerns

Society for the Protection of the Environment, Kerala (SPEK) says the move is sold as a flood‑mitigation step but no environmental impact assessment has been done. SPEK president K. Koyatti and secretary K.K. Devadasan warn it could become a pretext for indiscriminate sand mining in all rivers and streams. They question the claim that dredging silt prevents flooding. Koyatti explains that a river’s sand layer helps water seep into soil, recharges groundwater, and supports paddy fields, wetlands and wells. Removing sand lowers the riverbed, blocks sunlight, kills river‑bed vegetation, and destroys the food chain for small and larger fish, harming the fishing community. The activists add that flooding is mainly linked to flood‑plain reclamation, construction, sudden heavy rain, dam releases and blocked urban drains, not to sand buildup. They acknowledge sand is vital for construction, but say only limited, study‑backed extraction should be allowed under a clear legal framework that sets quantity, timing, method and location. SPEK demands a monitoring committee with officials from Revenue, Environment and Local Self‑Governments to supervise any extraction. They warn that large‑scale mechanical or manual mining could devastate the state’s 44 rivers and their ecosystems.

Context

Rivers in Kerala act as natural reservoirs, feeding wells and maintaining groundwater levels that many rural households rely on for drinking water.