Increased government control over river sand extraction doesn’t seem to have had any impact on the illegal market in the State.
The implementation of the sand policy in 2014, which identified sand blocks that were to be auctioned only by the Public Works Department, tightened the government’s control over river sand. In 2013-14, as much as 31.89 lakh cubic metres of sand was extracted in the State; this reduced to 14 lakh cubic metres in 2016-17 — a fall of more than 56%.
The emphasis on manufactured sand (M-sand) now sees around 80 lakh cubic metres being produced annually — nearly six times as much as river sand — but this, developers say, is not enough.
“Barely a fifth of the estimated demand of 2,000 loads of sand for construction in Bengaluru is being met through river sand. M-sand cannot be used in all the construction processes, including plastering. Even this is uncertain as quarries (which provide dust for M-sand) are being closed. With the demand still there, many tap the illegal market for river sand,” said Suresh Hari, secretary of real estate body CREDAI.
The shortfall in supply has seen sand prices rise to over ₹4,700 a cubic metre, setting the stage for illegal sand extractors to profit.
Take for example the alleged relentless sand extraction in dried lakebeds in Chickballapur district. While government data shows that not one cubic metre of sand has been lifted from the district in over two years, activist Gangadhar N. says lakes in Chickballapur and Sidlaghatta taluk are not being spared.
“We’ve even filed police complaints, but to no avail. The locals are involved, but it is groups from the cities that come at night and take the sand,” he said. His estimate is that up to 15 tractor loads of sand is removed daily.
Continuous sand extraction has taken its toll on the eco-sensitive Kodagu district. Data from the Department of Mines and Geology shows that from a high of 59,000 cubic metres extracted in 2014-15, the legal sand extraction has reduced to zero here. This, however, does not reflect the reality.
“Illegal sand extraction was rampant till around three months ago, when drought saw no sand left in rivers such as Lakshman Teertha and [there was a] clampdown by the district administration,” said Col C.P. Muthanna (retd.), president of the Coorg Wildlife Society (CWS), which is looking for stronger laws to protect the eco-sensitive landscape of the district.
