NEW DELHI: A latest report from the UN Environment Programme commended India for its initiatives to combat illegal sand mining, highlighting the implementation of stricter and smarter regulations.
The report noted that the Government of India’s policies promote better control over how sand is extracted from rivers and other sources while also preserving river ecology and supporting wildlife.
However, on a global scale, unchecked sand extraction has created a significant issue: we are extracting sand faster than it can replenish, threatening sustainable sand supplies and river ecosystems.
In its report titled “Sand and Sustainability: An Essential Resource for Nature and Development,” UNEP emphasized the strength of India's laws regulating sand mining.
India’s policies encourage the use of manufactured sand in construction projects to alleviate pressure on river sources. Additionally, authorities are adopting advanced technology for real-time monitoring to curb illegal mining. Local authorities routinely check and map the availability of sand and the amount being mined.
The report stated, “India has strengthened governance through the updated Sand Mining Policy (2024) and Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines (2020) by expanding the use of district-level surveys, replenishment studies, and real-time monitoring, while also promoting the use of manufactured sand in public projects.”
The report also highlighted the conservation of India's gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), a critically endangered river crocodilian. It emphasized that maintaining natural sand dynamics in rivers is crucial for effective gharial conservation, as gharials rely on sandy riverbanks for nesting and sandbanks for basking and resting, which are vital for thermoregulation and juvenile survival.
Furthermore, the report pointed out that the surging global demand for sand is jeopardizing sustainable supply, subsequently threatening ecosystems and livelihoods. It distinguished between "dead" sand, primarily used for infrastructure, and "alive" sand, which provides natural services.
Nature took hundreds of thousands of years to produce sand through gradual geological erosion. Despite this, we are using sand at an alarming rate of 50 billion tonnes per year, with its use for construction projected to rise by up to 45 percent by 2060.
“We are extracting it faster than it replenishes—this is the sand gap,” the report stated.
“Sand is sometimes referred to as the unrecognized hero of development, yet its essential role in sustaining the natural services we depend on is often overlooked,” said Pascal Peduzzi, Director of the UNEP Global Resource Information Database in Geneva. “Sand serves as our first line of defense against sea level rise, storm surges, and salinization of coastal aquifers—hazards exacerbated by climate change,” he added.
The report also highlights a fundamental tension: once extracted and transformed into concrete, asphalt, glass, and other materials, sand is effectively lost from natural systems (referred to as “dead” sand). In contrast, sand that remains in rivers, deltas, and coastal zones (known as “alive” sand) continues to sustain the stability of our landscapes and essential ecosystem functions, including filtering water, regulating river flows, protecting shorelines from erosion and storm surges, preventing salinization of coastal aquifers, and supporting biodiversity. In nature, sand lasts.
Dead and Alive Sand
1. The UNEP's report highlights India's effective regulations against illegal sand mining and sustainable extraction process to protect river ecology and wildlife.
2. India encourages the use of manufactured sand in construction to reduce pressure on natural sand sources, real-time monitoring to check illegal mining.
3. Globally, unsustainable sand extraction, with global demand outpacing natural replenishment, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods.
4. Sand is vital for Gharial Conservation for its nesting and surviva and importance of maintaining natural sand dynamics in rivers.
