-TheThirdPole.net This year, Bihar extended a seasonal ban on mining sand from its rivers. But Illegal sand mining continues every day across the eastern Indian state Deep inside the riverine belt of Koelwar in Bhojpur district of Bihar, around four to five kilometres from the main road and well out of sight, a dozen labourers are cutting and digging a portion of the Sone River in bright afternoon sunshine. Bare-chested, wielding spades...

-The Telegraph The Telegraph reports on a riverine community’s determination to save its environs Once upon a time, when my forefathers were looking for land to settle down, they found this barren sandbar and decided to make it a habitable place,” says Nani Roy, 42, a resident of Manachar. Char is the Bengali word for sandbar. Manachar is the sandbar that extends from Durgapur Barrage to Panagarh in Burdwan district. About three...

-South Asia Netwrok on Dams, Rivers and People In addition to destruction of rivers eco-system and disruption of environmental services to riparian communities, the illegal and unsustainable sand mining practices in India have also been causing avoidable violence and accidents resulting in scores of human deaths and injuries on annual basis. However, there is no comprehensive picture emerging on this man made disaster. To fill the gap, SANDRP has been trying...

-The Telegraph The victims include a child and six women, aged between seven and 52, and a newly married couple Bolpur (Birbhum): The charred bodies of at least eight persons were found in two houses at Bogtui village on the outskirts of Birbhum’s Rampurhat on Tuesday amid allegations that they were burnt alive in retaliation to the killing of Bhadu Sheikh, a Trinamul leader, on Monday night. Calcutta High Court steps in, to...

-Newslaundry.com Journalists face wrath of authorities and Illegal sand mining mafia MP’s Khargone. Pradeep Gangle, 35, was following up on a lead on Illegal sand mining on July 1 earlier this year. He found mounds of sand stored in Khargone district’s Umar Khali village, which could potentially be loaded onto 1,000 trolleys. There are 30 designated spots in Khargone district where sand mining is allowed but this place in Umar Khali village...