Maharashtra approves policy for promoting artificial sand

The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, where the state also made the use of m-sand mandatory for construction work undertaken by government and semi-government agencies

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday cleared a policy to promote the use of artificial sand, also known as manufactured sand or m-sand, in the state as a sustainable alternative to river sand in construction work, according to state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.

Thane, India - January 21, 2023: Two illegal mining barges and two suction pumps seized and destroyed as part of a special drive against sand mafia and illegal dredging worth ₹50 lakh by Thane Tehsil and Sub-Divisional Office, at Retibunder, on Ghodbunder Road, in Thane, India, on Saturday, January 21, 2023. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, where the state also made the use of m-sand mandatory for construction work undertaken by government and semi-government agencies. To encourage its production, the state will lease land for artificial sand crushers.

“To curb excessive mining of natural sand and promote sustainable alternatives, the state cabinet has approved a policy mandating the use of artificial sand in the construction sector,” Bawankule told reporters.

Calling it “a revolutionary step” that will be beneficial for the environment, Bawankule added that using artificial sand will help in maintaining the quality and quantity of construction work. “It will turn out to be a better alternative for construction works going on in big numbers in Mumbai, Pune and surrounding areas,” the revenue minister said.

Artificial sand is produced by crushing hard rocks, often granite, into small, sand-sized particles. To begin with, the state government has decided to allow the installation of 50 crusher machines in each district and 1,500 in total. The government is also ready to allot its land for the projects on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Even the existing crushers will have to shift to producing m-sand in the next three years, without which they will not get permission to continue their production,” said Bawankule.

The revenue minister clarified that the state government is not planning to remove stone quarries. “Instead, rocky terrain will be used for setting up the crushers, where we will allow digging to get stones. The pit will then be used as a pond for water conservation,” he said.

Bawankule added that companies involved in the crushing projects will get a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) status, which will allow them to get all the subsidies, concessions and exemptions granted by the industries department.

The state government has also decided to keep the royalty price of artificial sand much lower than that of natural sand. “It has been dropped to ₹200 per brass, compared with ₹600 per brass for natural sand,” Bawankule said.

The development assumes significance considering sand mining is a major environmental concern. In 2014, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned sand mining in coastal regions in many states, including Maharashtra, saying that it was damaging natural ecosystems.

In 2016, the ban was lifted in Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad, and Thane after the state government promised the NGT that it would ensure that mining wouldn’t damage the environment.