Environmental organisations and river management experts have taken strong exception to a government order allowing restricted sand-mining in various rivers in the State, saying that the authorities concerned have failed to consider various court orders and guidelines of the Ministry of Environment and Forests in issuing such an order.

Government order

The government order (MS No. 231/15/RD) issued by the Principal Secretary to Revenue Department on June 6 has directed the District Collectors concerned to permit restricted sand-mining in the Chaliyar river flowing through Malappuram and Kozhikode districts, the Pampa in Pathanamthitta, the Kadalundy river in Kozhikode, the Ithikkara river in Kollam, and the Periyar in Ernakulam district.

Indiscriminate sand-mining has been going on in the five rivers mentioned in the GO for quite a long period, leading to drastic lowering of the riverbeds and resultant depletion of the groundwater table, they say.................Read more

Source web page: The Hindu