Sand Mining
( UPSC Prelims)
News Context
The Supreme Court (SC) noted that replenishment data is a necessary requirement for obtaining environmental clearance, alongside the District Survey Report (DSR).
Key highlights of SC Observations
● Essentiality of Replenishment Study: Without this, a DSR is fundamentally flawed.
● Natural Regeneration Principle: Similar to how trees need to regrow before being cut down, sand mining necessitates a recharge study to maintain the balance of rivers.
About Sand Mining
● Extraction of natural sand and associated resources such as minerals and stones from riverbeds, land, or other environments for use in construction and processing.
● Environmental Implications of uncontrolled sand-mining: Riverbank erosion; reduction of groundwater levels; threats to biodiversity; increased flood risks; deterioration of water quality with elevated turbidity levels, etc.
Existing Legal Framework for Sand Mining in India
● Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
○ In the case of Deepak Kumar vs State of Haryana (2012), the Supreme Court mandated that environmental clearance is required for all minor mineral extractions, such as sand.
○ The EIA Notification (2016 Amendment) introduced cluster-based assessments and emphasized the importance of replenishment studies in the District Survey Report.
○ The Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016 and the Enforcement & Monitoring Guidelines, 2020 focus on calculating the annual replenishment rate to establish safe and sustainable mining limits.