Summary:
The government created a Special Project Circle in the PWD, exclusively for sand mining, and also appointed a Project Director to oversee sand mining operations in the State. “We have been facing problems sourcing sand for Chennai since the time when sand mining was banned in Kancheepuram district. Meanwhile, PWD officials say a blanket ban on river sand mining in Tiruchi and Karur districts may do more harm overall than good. As sand quarries in Tiruchi and Karur districts remain closed, pressure has built up on quarries in Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts. Environmentalists, however, have warned that rampant sand mining from the Cauvery’s bed is harming the river itself, destroying its groundwater recharging capacity..