Undoubtedly, mining plays a key role in development of any nation. Sand mining is as old as the construction industry.

Truly, mining contributes to the development status, rate of growth and quality of life of the population of the nation.

Rapid urbanisation and population growth have induced exponential rise in sand mining in water bodies.

Ambitious plans for the construction of runways, roads, railways, schools, colleges, hospitals, factories, office space, power stations bridges, multi-storeyed various sorts of commercial and residential buildings call for large inputs of sand.

Annual consumption of sand may rise with the rise in GDP. However, natural production of sand being a geological process is extremely low and rate of removal of sand outpace the rate of supply regeneration.

Sand extraction led to ecological demise of large number of water bodies globally. Sand mining affects faunal diversity and population density along water bodies.

Therefore, relying on sand for both public and private construction may be necessary but not sufficient for sustainable development. With resurgent modernisation of infrastructure in all sectors, sand mining will not be able in position to meet the requirement of all new growth sectors spread all over the country because all constructions require volumes of sand and may be bound to create environmental demise.

With the ambitious plans, leaders, mining companies, legislators and the local community need to examine the possible complements or substitutes for sand mining to lessen the pressure on sand demand.

Therefore, scientific and intelligent sand mining need to be pursued by designing scientific planning, design and execution to minimise adverse environmental impacts.

Geoffrey MUSHAIJA
PhD (Economics) Land policy research Scholar