Kerala government’s move to allow sand mining in 17 rivers: Environmentalists warn against it

A file image shows the dry bed of the Bharathapuzha River in Kerala. | Photo credit: KK Mustafah

Environmental activists have expressed concern over the impact of the Kerala government’s announced decision to allow mining of 1.7 million tonnes of sand from 17 rivers across the state from December 2026.

Officials of the Kerala Environment Protection Society (SPEK) say that although this is presented as a flood mitigation step, no environmental impact assessment seems to have been done. SPEK president K. Koyatty and secretary KK Devadasan point out that this could also serve as a pretext for indiscriminate mining of sand from all rivers and streams. The claim that dredging mud from the river prevents floods is not clear, they say.

Mr Koyatty says every river is a complex system that involves different stages from its source to where it meets the ocean. It consists not only of water, but also of sand, soil, organic matter, aquatic plants and aquatic life. “A river cannot truly be a river without sand. The presence of sand in the river is essential for flood control, facilitates the percolation of water into the soil, which is later preserved as groundwater, and ensures the retention of water in rice fields, wetlands, wells and other bodies of water. Agriculture, irrigation, fishing and various development works are based on this ecosystem, which has evolved over a long period of time.”

Environmental activists emphasize the role of rivers in replenishing wells, one of the main sources of drinking water in rural areas, which also help maintain groundwater levels. “River sand mining, also called canal mining, lowers the river bed. As a result, sunlight cannot reach the bottom of the river. As a result, vegetation and other plant life in the riverbed do not receive the sunlight they need, preventing photosynthesis and leading to their destruction. Small fish that depend on these organisms, as well as larger fish that feed on them, die out along the river ecosystem. They are also affected benthic organisms or bottom-dwelling aquatic life, impacting the livelihood of the fishing community,” says Mr. Devadasan.

Activists also say that flooding is primarily caused by river floodplain reclamation and construction activities, not sand accumulation. According to them, another reason for flooding is sudden, intense rainfall or a massive rush of water due to the sudden opening of dams. In urban areas, flooding is mainly caused by the clogging of drains that flow into rivers, as well as the reclamation of wetlands, according to SPEK officials.

A precise legal framework was sought

But activists also admit that because sand is essential for construction, it can be removed in limited quantities based on accurate studies and in proportion to the amount that accumulates in dams and rivers over time. They demand that a precise legal framework be created to regulate the extraction of sand from rivers, specifying the permissible amount, the timing and method of extraction and the exact locations.

Mr Koyatty and Mr Devadasan say sand mining can only be carried out under strict guidelines and under the supervision of a monitoring committee made up of representatives from relevant government ministries such as revenue, environment and local government. Extensive, extensive mechanical and manual sand mining will only devastate the 44 rivers and their ecosystems in the state, they add.

SPEK is organizing a discussion on this topic in memory of environmental activist A. Achyuthan on October 24 in Kozhikode.

Published – 20 Oct 2026 12:26 IST