- SFG FRC 2027 | Program starts from 15th Dec. 2026 | Admissions open for Tranche-1 Entrance Test till 25th Oct. 2026 Click Here to know more →
- Prelims Test Series (PTS) for Prelims 2027 starts 11th Oct. 2026 Click Here to know more →
- [Pre-order] Ethics Redbook 3rd Edition: Delivery starts from 21st October onwards Click Here to Read More →
- 21 Sept. | GS Advance Program (GSAP) for UPSC 2027 Mains starts from 11th Oct. Click Here to Read More →
News: Villagers of Assam and Meghalaya have come together against illegal sand mining in the rivers along the border between the states. Indiscriminate sand mining has affected the area’s ecosystem, including the habitats of the Gangetic Dolphins.
1. Sand mining is defined as the removal of primary natural sand and sand resources from the natural environment for various uses such as construction, industrial processes, and manufacturing.
2. In India, sand is categorised as a minor mineral under the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957.
3. Major sources of sand include rivers (riverbed and flood plain), lakes and reservoirs, agricultural fields, coastal/marine sand etc.
4. Harmful impacts of sand mining include biodiversity loss and habitat destruction, groundwater depletion, infrastructural damage, increased flooding and sedimentation.
5. Indian government has launched Sustainable Sand Management Guidelines (2016), Sand Mining Framework (2018) to encourage sustainable sand mining.
6. Gangetic Dolphins: They have been historically found in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
7. They can only live in freshwater. They are essentially blind and hunt by emitting ultrasonic sounds.
8. They are listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and classified as Endangered by the IUCN.
