Amid concerns from fishermen and scientists over allowing sand mining off the Kerala coast, the Union government has said that the offshore blocks have been carved out by excluding Marine Protected Areas and that there are adequate provisions in the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act to safeguard ecological balance, bio-diversity, and the interest of fishermen.
Answering questions raised by CPM leader John Brittas and Muslim League representative Harris Beeran, Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy told the Rajya Sabha that no allocation of offshore blocks has been made so far and that bidders will have to obtain all consents, approvals, permits and no objection certificates from the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEF&CC) and the department of fisheries before the execution of an operating right.
While continental shelf mining is likely to affect the pelagic (open sea) and benthic (deep sea) biota, the severity and scale remain unclear, according to scientists. The effects of mining activities can lead to loss of biodiversity of benthic and pelagic fauna, said National Centre for Earth Science Studies consultant scientist K K Ramachandran.
Countering fisherfolk’s allegation that the blocks identified for sand mining are located in the Kollam Parappu, a traditional fishing ground, a senior official with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) told TNIE that the Kollam Parappu area does not fall under the blocks identified by the Centre.
“The Kollam Parappu is located at a depth of 275 to 370m. It is a breeding ground for demersal species and harbours species like pink perch, trevally, shrimp, lobster, pomfret and Indian salmon. However, the offshore sand blocks identified by the Centre is located around 30km off the Kollam coast at a depth of 48 to 65m,” the GSI official said.
He said the concerns raised are unreasonable as there will not be much turbidity. “The technology used for sand mining is different from dredging. Sand is sucked from the sea bed and turbidity will be much less compared to dredging and bottom trawling,” the official said.
The Union government had launched the first tranche of auction of 13 offshore blocks on November 28, 2024, for the grant of exploration licence and production lease. This includes three offshore blocks of construction sand off the Kerala coast, beyond the territorial waters.
Kishan Reddy said an Offshore Areas Mineral Trust has been established and the coastal states made members of the governing body and the executive committee of the trust.
“The funds accruing to the trust shall be used for research, administration, studies and related expenditure with respect to offshore areas and mitigation of any adverse impact,” he said in the Rajya Sabha.
Pointing out the lack of clarity in the offshore sand mining policy, Ramachandran said there is a dire need for clear policies and the implementation of regulations to manage sand mining and its adverse consequences. “Before commencing any offshore mining operation, a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) must be carried out to develop mitigation strategies” he said.
The environmental problems associated with continental shelf mining include sediment plumes disrupting marine life, habitat destruction, potential contamination of water column with toxic metals, disruption of benthic ecosystems, noise pollution, impacts on fisheries, and alteration of natural sediment dynamics, the scientist pointed out. There is a high likelihood that less mobile benthic organisms would be killed through direct contact with heavy mining equipment deployed on the seabed, he added.