Post monsoon, truck loads of sand being extracted off the basins of the rain fed rivers along the coast of Mangalore, India. Global demand for sand and gravel, used extensively in construction, is about 50 billion tonnes according to a report published by the UN Environment Programme. Extraction in rivers and beaches has increased pollution and flooding, lowered groundwater levels, hurt marine life, and exacerbated the occurrence and severity of landslides and drought.

First published in the May 07, 2019, 7:24 p.m. edition

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