Unscientific sand mining is threatening the existence of rivers in the State, Additional Chief Secretary P.H. Kurien has said.
Opening a regional workshop on ‘River Care’ here on Tuesday, he said river protection in the State left a lot to be desired for despite the passing of the Kerala Protection of River Banks and Regulation of Removal of Sand Act, 2001. Sand mining had become a huge business in the State, he said, while urging society and officials to maintain greater vigil.
The Additional Chief Secretary suggested the measuring of banks of rivers, and protecting them using stone walls so that they would not be encroached upon. He called for cheaper and scientific programmes to protect rivers.
The workshop for the protection of the river ecosystem was organised by the Institute of Land and Disaster Management for district-level committees working in the field of river protection. Representatives of such committees from north Kerala took part in the workshop.
The workshop consisted of sessions on the importance of rivers, analysis of resources, permanent sources of freshwater, capacity of rivers in Kerala, potential of technology, river ecosystem and biodiversity, action against and solution to river encroachment, and river mapping and sand auditing.
A draft proposal was formed on the basis of the discussions under the leadership of Land Revenue Commissioner A.T. James. Studying the flora on river banks, building eco-friendly walkways on banks, cleaning of rivers with public participation and forming river protection squads are among some of the suggestions.
