7. EIA of River Sand Mining

Depending on the geological and geomorphological setting, the magnitude of the environmental impacts of river sand mining also varies. The activity imposes marked environmental impacts on land, water, atmosphere, and socioeconomic conditions of a river basin. Environmental impact Assessment (EIA) is an important tool to assess the positive (beneficial) and negative (adverse) impacts of the sand mining. Two different methods—Matrix method and Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix method are used here to assess the environmental impact of sand mining in the longest river of Kerala—the Periyar river. The study reveals that the activity is a major threat to the very existence of the Periyar river in particular and the small rivers of tropics in general. The rivers are reported to be degraded considerably due to uncontrolled sand mining over the past few decades. The impact assessment reveals that the adverse environmental impacts of sand mining dominate over the marginal and short-term benefits.