Thiruvananthapuram, 14 Oct (H.S.): River sand mining in Keralam is expected to resume by the end of December or early January, Revenue Minister A P Anilkumar told the Assembly, outlining the government’s plans to remove accumulated sand and silt that contribute to flooding.

The minister said the procedures required to restart sand extraction were under way. However, approvals from the Industries and Environment departments were still pending. Operations could begin within the proposed timeframe once these clearances were secured, he said.

Anilkumar said the accumulation of sand in riverbeds was one of several factors responsible for flooding in the state. The government would take steps to remove deposits of sand and silt that obstruct the flow of water and increase the risk of rivers overflowing.

A meeting chaired by the Chief Minister had been held after the rains to discuss the issue, the minister informed the House. The ongoing administrative process follows those discussions and is aimed at enabling the resumption of sand mining.

Across Keralam, 155 river sand extraction points, known as kadavus, have been identified for approval. The government has also decided to entrust these locations to local self-government institutions, Anilkumar said.

The proposed arrangements would give local bodies responsibility for the identified extraction points once the necessary permissions were obtained. The minister’s announcement indicated that the restart would depend on completion of the remaining approval process.

He reiterated that the government would take the measures needed to prevent sand accumulation from contributing to flooding. Removing the deposits, he said, formed part of its response to the problem.

While December-end or early January remains the anticipated starting period, the minister linked the schedule to departmental clearances. His statement placed both the removal of accumulated river deposits and the arrangements for resuming sand extraction within the government’s ongoing efforts to address flooding risks.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman