Sand Auditing for Sustainable River Sand Mining in Kerala, India – An Overview

Sand Auditing is the process that evaluates the health status of rivers subjected to sand mining. This study reviews the river sand audit methodology applied in Kerala, India, from 2011 to 2019 in terms of geographical coverage, results, and applications. It demonstrates the sand audit methodology, the agencies and authorities involved in implementation, and the current status of the State’s sand audit implementation. The current regulatory framework of Kerala that ensures sustainable sand mining and prevents illegal sand mining is also demonstrated. In total, 21 of the 44 Kerala’s rivers have been surveyed during 2011-2019, and the State’s agencies have hence acquired great experience and expertise in sand auditing. A major outcome of Kerala’s sand auditing is the collection of large datasets of river cross-sectional information that can be used, inter alia, in flood modeling studies to formulate sustainable river basin management strategies in Kerala.