Thanneer, a people’s movement fighting to save water bodies and rivers, has organised a massive demonstration at Chinthamani junction in Tiruchy demanding an end to the practice of indiscriminate sand mining in the Cauvery river bed and in over 200 other river systems in the State.

Presiding over the protest, M. Shekaran, President of Thanneer, said that indiscriminate sand mining in river beds is going on in 200 rivers across the State and the whole permit system needs to be overhauled and new laws put in place to check the misuse.

Attributing the loss of groundwater and aquifers in the Cauvery river bed, a lifeline for the delta districts, to the indiscriminate sand mining going on for years, Shekaran said that Coleroon is now being used to tap groundwater for drinking purposes, as the Cauvery river bed has gone dry.

“All norms have been flouted with impunity by the sand mining mafia, due to which groundwater levels in the Cauvery river have depleted thoroughly. Even Tiruchy denizens would not get Cauvery water for drinking if a lasting solution is not found for this problem and the activities of the sand mining mafia is not checked by new laws and innovative measures taken by the State Government,” Shekaran said.

“While enacting new laws to safeguard the natural sand wealth, it is imperative to stop the export of river sand to foreign countries, even as sand miners should not be allowed to flout all norms while mining. Finding an alternative construction material would help prevent the environmental destruction of the river eco-system and depleting groundwater levels,” he said.