The Hindu Business Line : Pampa among rivers threatened by sand mining

Indiscriminate mining of sand and gravel is the most disastrous, as this threatens the existence of the riverine ecosystem, according to the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS), Thiruvananthapuram.

Depending on the geologic and geomorphic setting, the degree of off site and on site impacts of sand mining would vary.

Continued and indiscriminate mining can change the physical characteristics of the river basin in addition to distributing the closely linked flora and fauna, hydrology and soil structure of the region, a study by the scientists at the CESS said.

The sand reserve in the 44 rivers flowing across the State is substantially low compared to the other rivers in peninsular India because of the small catchment areas and limited riverbed resources. “However, these rivers have been subjected to reckless exploitation of sand and gravel for construction and other developmental activities,” said a scientist.

Sand and gravel mining is reportedly taking place several folds higher than the natural replenishments and this in turn, leads to severe damages to the riverine ecology. Reduction in sediment supply from catchments and erosion of its own channel during high flow regimes are common in many rivers of the State.

This, in many occasions, has led to channel deepening and undermining of engineering structures such as riverbank protection walls, water intake structures constructed within river channels for water supply schemes and bridges.

“It is a fact that its impacts on various environmental and the broader economy of Kerala are not fully understood and adequately informed to the regulatory authorities,” said a scientist.

The small rivers facing imminent death include Varattar and Kuttanperoorar passing through Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts. The 8-km-long Kuttamperoor originates from Achankovil river at Ulunthi and flows through Ennakkad, Budhannur and joins the Pampa at Nakkada.

This river has been the lifeline for several villages between both the major rivers, being the major source for drinking water, agriculture and carrying agricultural produce to major markets. Above all, during the southwest monsoon, it used to distribute the floodwaters in Pampa to Achankovil and vice versa.

Indiscriminate sand mining in the major rivers has reduced the sand bed by 3 to 6 metres and that stopped the flow of water through the Kuttamperoor. In fact, 50 years ago, sailboats carrying cargo used to navigate through this river. Now unscientific construction of bridges at several points, apart from encroachments on either sides following the drying up of river, has led to the death of this natural interlinking of two major rivers, said Mr N.K. Sukumaran Nair, General Secretary of an NGO.

Another victim of increased human intervention is the Varattar, originating from the Pampa and flowing to the Manimala. The sand bed level at the originating point of Varattar in Pampa has been so deepened by sand mining that there is no chance of water flowing into the second natural interlinking waterway. Downstream, there are several illegal encroachments on either sides of the Varattar. The encroachers have planted coconut palms, apart from doing other cultivations.

Varattar was also the major source for drinking water and for irrigation to the paddy fields in villages such as Koipuram, Othara, Idanadu, Mangalam, Kuttoor and Thiruvanvandoor. But today it is a skeleton with water pools here and there.

For the rehabilitation of Varattar, Rs 190 lakhs have been allocated in the Pampa Action Plan, which was sanctioned by the National River Conservation Directorate under the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, Mr Nair, General Secretary, Pampa Parirakshana Samithy, told Business Line.

Apart from these, How seriously the people have neglected the importance of the major river, lifeline of lakhs of people, living in the Pampa river basin up to Kuttanad, is evident from the narrowing down of the river downstream below the Kozhencherry bridge. Vast areas have been reclaimed here with covert support of the authorities for political gains and hence no action has been taken, environmental activists said.

Another scheme to disturb the river is the rubber dam across the river at Aranmula, they said.

All these interventions are in addition to the aggressive sand mining, which has converted the river into a number of pits and water pools immediately after the monsoon rains withdraws.

Saving the rivers requires strong political will and the ability to take action irrespective of politics and other considerations, and that is what our administrators are lacking, an official source pointed out.

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