Sand mining sites and sales depots managed by the state water resources department under lens
Photo for representation: iStock The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has cracked down on illegal sand mining in Tamil Nadu. The agency is currently raiding more than 25 locations across the state over allegations of money laundering and tax evasion with connections to the sand mafia under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Sand mining sites and sales depots managed by the state water resources department were being searched on September 12, 2023 by the ED at Trichy, Namakkal, Vellore, Pudukottai and Karur, among other locations.
Large quantities of sand are illegally extracted from riverbeds, causing environmental degradation. The sand is then allegedly sold from these points.
The agency is raiding the offices and residences of sand mining contractors such as S Ramachandran and ‘Dindigul’ Rathinam.
Read more: A river ruined: Our Yamuna is dying due to sand mining, say locals in Haryana
The ED is also looking at 10 premises in connection with an associate of jailed minister V Senthil Balaji, news agency ANI reported.
An enforcement case information report was registered by the ED without intimating the Tamil Nadu Police. It took the help of the Central Armed Police Force for their investigations instead, reported newspaper The Hindu.
It is probing allegations that usual e-receipts issued at the depots for online transactions run by the water resources department’s website were missing for huge quantities of sand sold. Missing electronic receipts from the system may have been a loophole to facilitate money laundering.
However, in the cases where e-bills were issued to trucks and lorry drivers, the ED is looking at whether tax was credited to the government at all.
Sand mining weakens river banks and makes them more prone to floods; however, it is not uncommon due to the construction boom and rapid urbanisation across the country.
After water, sand is the second most used natural resource and its mining is a lucrative business. Its opposition by journalists and activists has often led to attacks on them.
Read more: Bihar advocate alleges threat to life from sand mafia, seeks protection
A 2021 report by South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People said 193 people were killed between January 2019 and November 15, 2020 for objecting to and for taking action against illegal sand mining.
Moreover, a 2018 United Nations Environment Programme report flagged India and China as countries that had the most number of critical hotspots for sand mining on rivers, lakes and coastlines.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released guidelines in 2016 that recommended alternative sources of extraction of sand and gravel.
“These guidelines are just advisory in nature. A strong political will is required for this critical business to be sustainable,” Sumaira Abudlali, founder of nonprofit Awaaz Foundation, previously told Down To Earth.
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