Sand smuggling: Joint patrolling stepped up along the riverbeds of the Cauvery and the Amaravati
Authorities in Karur district have increased patrolling and drone surveillance along the Cauvery and Amaravati rivers to combat illegal sand mining. Officials have identified 30 vulnerable locations and warned that vehicles involved in smuggling will be confiscated.
Why it matters
Illegal sand mining causes severe environmental degradation and riverbed erosion, making enforcement actions vital for ecological preservation.
Patrolling along the Cauvery and the Amaravati in Karur district has been stepped up to check illegal sand mining.
Illegal sand mining was till recently rampant in the region with the sand being smuggled to Namakkal, Salem, Karur, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and other areas.
While there were reports that illegal mining had come down in recent times, environmentalists said it continued in different parts of the district. Officials have identified 30 places as vulnerable for sand mining on the riverbeds of the two rivers. Mettupalayam, Kadambankurichi, Kalipalayam, Vangal, Mallampalayam, Nerur, Vadapagam, Thenpagam, Pudupalayam, Aranganathanpettai, Thirumukkudalur, Thottakurichi, Manmangalam, Amaravathi, Somur, Koyampalli, Thirumanilaiyur, Sukkaliyur, Sellandipalayam, and Chinnandankoil are among them.
According to sources, district-level monitoring teams, including officials from police, revenue and mines and minerals department are patrolling the riverbeds of the Cauvery and the Amaravati.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in