Rampant illegal mining on the banks of the Beas, Manali onwards towards Bajaura in Kullu district is posing a threat to the ecology of the area. Though the district police and the Mining Department have challened the offenders, they are fearlessly looting natural resources under the nose of the district administration. Post a raid on the banks of the Beas, near Bhunter, found 10 tractors being used in illegal mining parked there.  A police team carried out raids and issued 10 challans for illegal mining and imposed a fine of Rs 40,500. “The police are keeping a close watch on illegal miners in Kullu district and taking action according to the law. The culprits sell sand collected from riverbanks at high prices to customers for construction works. According to the Residents of the district, unbridled illegal mining was continuing on the banks of the Beas and its tributaries such as the Parbati in Manali, Patlikihal, Kullu, Bhunter and Bajaura. Regular raid is being conducted by the police department to check menace of  illegal mining.

Due to illegal mining, the river changes its direction, posing a threat of floods during the rainy season. Several such incidents have been reported in the past when the Beas flooded the Patlikuhal area, forcing the administration to get the area vacated.

Ecological Damage

• While 85% to 90% of global sand demand is met from quarries, and sand and gravel pits, 10% to 15% extracted from rivers and seashores is a severe concern due the environmental and social impacts.
• Their extraction often results in river and coastal erosion and threats to freshwater and marine fisheries and aquatic ecosystems, instability of river banks leading to increased flooding, and lowering of groundwater levels.
• According to UNEP report notes that China and India head the list of critical hotspots for sand extraction impacts in rivers, lakes and coastlines.
• As per the UNEP report, most large rivers of the world have lost between half and 95% of their natural sand and gravel delivery to ocean.
• The damming of rivers for hydro-electricity production or irrigation is reducing the amount of sediment flowing downstream.
• This broken replenishment system exacerbates pressures on beaches already threatened by sea level rise and intensity of storm-waves induced by climate change, as well as coastal developments.

Solutions

• Reducing unnecessary construction including speculative projects or those being done mainly for prestige thereby making more efficient use of aggregates.
• Investing in infrastructure maintenance and retrofitting rather than demolish and rebuild cycle.
• Embracing alternative design and construction methods, even avoiding the use of cement and concrete where possible.
• It is critical to raise awareness that what is seen as cheap and freely available i.e sand, is in fact a limited resource.
• At the policy level, the way forward, the UNEP report suggests, is to strengthen standards and best practices to curb irresponsible extraction and to invest in sand production and consumption measurement, monitoring and planning; and establish dialogue based on transparency and accountability.