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Vigil stepped up against sand-mining
Special Correspondent
Residents of Veli take the initiative
http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/30/stories/2007043018250500.htm
Thiruvananthapuram: Residents of the Veli fishermen's village in the city
have formed a vigilante group to prevent unauthorised sand-mining from the
seashore, believed to be the cause of environmental devastation of the
coast.
Volunteers of the Seashore Protection Forum patrol the seashore in small
boats equipped with searchlights from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Environmentalists say large tracts of beaches in the city are mined for
sand, exposing the shoreline to erosion and posing a threat to houses
along the coast. According to Cleetus Gomez of St. Thomas Church,
Valiaveli, hundreds of truckloads of beach sand are removed from the Veli
inlet every day. The illegal extraction of sand has eroded the beach
bordering the western side of the church.
Local residents say the large-scale removal of sand has created deep pits
on the remaining portion of the beach, creating a hazard for residents and
unwary visitors. Scientists say sand extraction could be a major causative
factor for the unprecedented erosion along the Thiruvananthapuram coast
last year. Dozens of houses were washed away by strong tidal action and
the seawall was damaged at several places. Hundreds of coconut trees were
uprooted by waves.
Sources said the fishermen were often witness to the illegal mining of
sand but they were helpless. Revenue officials said they had received
reports of beach sand-mining in the Pallithura area. The Veli inlet is the
most heavily-mined area. State president of the Kerala Swathantra Matsya
Thozhilali Federation T. Peter said the night vigil by the Seashore
Protection Forum had created an impact in the neighbouring coastal
villages also. "More villagers are coming forward to join the initiative,"
he said.
Early this year, women fish vendors from Veli had to face the ire of the
organised sand-mining workers. Six persons were booked by the police and
equipment used for sand-mining were seized after an attack on the women.
"It is then that we decided that we have to do something to check illegal
sand-mining. The initial response to the night vigil was encouraging,"
said Mr. Peter.
As many as 30 family units under the church are involved in the vigil.
Volunteers from each unit take turns to keep vigil. The boats are kept
ready to accost sand-miners and the volunteers are provided with whistles
to warn their team-mates.
Mr .Peter said sand-miners had shifted their operations to the area near
the railway bridge and the roadbridge adjoining the VSSC campus. "The
removal of sand has exposed the foundation of the two bridges, posing a
threat to their structural stability. The wire fence bordering the VSSC
campus has also collapsed as a result of the heavy sand mining," he said.
Data recorded at the Centre for Earth Science Studies here show that the
erosion along the Thiruvananthapuram coast in 2006 was the worst since
1980. Scientists point out that large-scale extraction of sand from the
beaches at Thumba and Veli is the primary cause for the intensified
coastal erosion.
The saline sand removed from beaches is favoured as a foundation-filling
material for buildings, as it repels termites and rodents. Unscrupulous
traders also mix the beach sand with river sand to reap more profit.
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