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A non-government organization (NGO) in West Bengal has launched a new portal called India Sand Watch, which aims to provide users with information about illegal sand mining activities throughout India. The open-data project, initiated by the Veditum India Foundation, aims to gather and archive data related to sand mining. Illegal sand mining is the extraction of sand from riverbeds without the necessary licenses or permits. This practice, along with legal sand mining, has significant environmental consequences, such as riverbed erosion and subsequent flooding.

India Sand Watch aims to address the lack of mechanisms for large-scale tracking of illegal sand mining in India. The idea for the portal emerged in 2016 when founder Siddharth Agrawal witnessed the scale of sand mining along the Ganga river. Agrawal, along with his friend Akshay Roongta from Ooloi Labs, formed a partnership to create a solution that would identify and map locations of illegal sand mining activities.

Currently, the platform contains 800 public documents on sand mining, including news reports, tender documents, and district survey reports. The goal of the platform is to promote accountability and awareness regarding sand mining in India. However, there are skeptics who question the scope of India Sand Watch’s work, suggesting that a more focused approach in specific areas would be more effective.

Sand is classified as a minor mineral under The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, 1957. It is also the world’s second most exploited resource. Illegal sand mining is a major issue in India, often leading to conflicts and attacks on journalists and government officials.

India Sand Watch is the result of a collaboration between Veditum India Foundation, Ooloi Labs, Rainmatter Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Trust, and UC Berkeley’s Global Policy Lab. The platform aims to serve as a tool for journalists, activists, and researchers. It will also allow users to contribute data, which will be verified by the platform. Future plans include the expansion of tracking tools through remote sensing and satellite imagery, as well as the release of reports on the state of sand mining in five Indian states.

While the platform has garnered support, some believe that the real challenge lies in the enforcement of laws against illegal sand mining. The implementation of court documents and district survey reports remains a crucial issue that needs to be addressed by the authorities.

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