Before you read a word of what I have to say, I'd encourage you to look at this photo-essay since the rest of my post is based on this story.
The Konkan coast along the Western Ghats of India is one of the world's most beautiful regions. Dense with tropical foliage and home to several thousands of creatures that you will find nowhere else on earth, the Western Ghats region has in fact been listed as a biodiversity hotspot. (apparently, to be classified as one, it has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation). A study done in 2000 states that the area is one of the world’s ten ‘hottest biodiversity hotspots’, with at least 325 globally threatened species occuring there. Considering that we are now in 2012, I'm sure that number will be far far higher. It is a delicate yet critical region that is under tremendous stress due to human callousness. The threats are many, but the focus of this blog is particularly on sand mining and its impacts. But why should you care? Because destruction of this peripheral region has further implications, particularly if you are Indian. To illustrate better, I’d like to liken it to the margins of a garment. When the margins become unraveled, before long, the entire garment starts getting damaged. The Western Ghats are a very crucial watershed region for the country. Many rivers that give life to the peninsula originate in the western ghats. We ignore the health of these riverine ecosystems at our own peril. So even if we don't live along the coast, it is critical to protect them. Demand for sand is fueled by a powerful construction lobby/mafia. Governments are often reluctant to take action for fear of impacting the construction industry, which acts as a bellwether of how the economy is faring. When faced with extreme public opinions/ litigation, many resort to importing sand from elsewhere, probably replicating the same disasters out there.
