Context: Environment clearance issued to as many as 60 mining areas has paved the way for legal mining of bajri (riverbed sand) in Rajasthan.
The Supreme Court had banned the sand mining activities four years ago in riverbeds until a scientific replenishment study was completed.
The apex court later appointed a Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to look into the issue of illegal sand mining.
Recommendations:
issue environmental clearance to all valid holders of letters of intent, as suggested by the Expert Appraisal Committee, within three months and
do not insist on submission of the scientific replenishment report as a precondition.
The replenishment study could be undertaken during the course of mining.
The Supreme Court accepted the CEC’s recommendations permitting riverbed sand mining to be conducted after obtaining all statutory clearances and payment of applicable taxes.
What is riverbed sand mining?
Sand mining is the extraction of sand, mainly through an open pit but sometimes mined from beaches and inland dunes or dredged from ocean and river beds.
Uses:
Sand is often used in manufacturing as an abrasive or in concrete.
Sand mining helps in extracting rutile, ilmenite, and zircon, which contain the industrially useful elements titanium and zirconium.
Ill-effects:
Sand mining is a direct cause of erosion, and impacts the local wildlife.
Various animals depend on sandy beaches for nesting clutches, and mining has led to the near extinction of gharials in India.
Disturbance of underwater and coastal sand causes turbidity in the water, which is harmful for organisms like coral that need sunlight.
It can also destroy fisheries, financially harming their operators.
