The Centre’s decision to mine the state’s seabed for its vast sand deposits has triggered protests along Kerala’s coast. The move, which allows seabed mining within the state’s jurisdiction and beyond –including private companies–has left the state’s 10-lakh-strong fishing community deeply concerned.

The controversy erupted after the Union Ministry of Mines invited tenders for extracting sand and other mineral deposits from the seabed along the coasts of various states and Union Territories, including Kerala, Gujarat, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

A 242 square-kilometre stretch off the Kollam coast has been earmarked for sand mining in the first phase. This district alone holds an estimated 30.242 crore tonnes of sand. The extracted sand will primarily be used for construction.

Significant sand reserves have been identified off the coasts of Ponnani, Chavakkad, Alappuzha, and Kollam (both North and South).

The tender bids will be opened on February 28, revealing the companies undertaking the mining. The lease period has been set at 50 years, with companies allowed to withdraw after 10 years if the venture proves unprofitable.

The gateway to seabed mineral mining was the amendments made last year to the Offshore Areas Mineral Development and Regulation (OAMDR) Act of 2002. These changes align with the Centre’s Blue Economy Policy, which aims to harness marine resources, including seabed minerals and natural gas deposits, to drive economic growth.

With these amendments, the Centre now has the authority to conduct surveys, exploration, and mining within 12 nautical miles of the coast—an area traditionally reserved for the respective states’ fishing and conservation rights. The government has also initiated steps to kickstart the mining process.

A tsunami of concerns
Although the first trial will take place off the Kollam coast, mining is expected to expand to other locations soon. The state’s coastal waters support over 40,000 motorised and traditional fishing vessels, and the identified sand mounds are mineral-rich and vital breeding grounds for marine life.

Adding to the concerns, a significant portion of the Quilon Bank, known to be one of the richest marine ecosystems, falls within the proposed mining zone. Spanning 85 kilometres across Kollam, Alappuzha, and Thiruvananthapuram, this underwater bank harbours a vast and permanent stock of fish species, including sardines, Indian mackerel, anchovies, tuna, emperor fish, Spanish mackerel, red snapper, and prawns.

Beyond the Quilon Bank, the Wedge Bank, which stretches from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari, is also a potential mining threat. This region, another crucial fish habitat, could suffer significant damage if mining proceeds unchecked.

The impact on fish stocks can only be assessed through a detailed environmental study, said Dr Grinson George, Director of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi.

Seabed sand deposits lie at depths ranging from 48.4 meters to 62.5 meters, said Jackson Pollayil, President of the Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation. Extracting these deposits using mechanised dredgers will completely destroy the habitat of numerous marine species, he added.

Disturbing the seabed will also stir up sediment, pollute the water, and disrupt the food chain of fish by destroying microflora and fauna. Marine scientists warn that such large-scale disruption could lead to a catastrophic decline in fish populations. The livelihoods of thousands of families who rely on the fishing harbours at Muthalappozhi, Kollam, Sakthikulangara-Neendakara, Azheekkal, and Thottappally will be affected.

Although the central government has announced that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be conducted before mining begins, Joseph Xavier Kalappurackal, general secretary of the All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association, says no concrete steps have been taken in this direction.

The mining proposal also comes when the region’s fish population is under stress due to climate change and recurring cyclones. The number of fishing days has declined significantly, further straining the fishing community’s livelihood. Further, concerns are mounting over the entry of mining companies into areas densely populated with fishing vessels, which could lead to conflicts at sea between fishermen and mining operators.

Billions in revenue
According to estimates,  the average volume of sand that the state requires annually for construction is three crore tonnes. The Centre assesses that the 74.5 crore tonnes of sand deposits on the seabed will be sufficient to meet the state’s construction needs for the next 25 years.

Beyond the billions of rupees expected from mining leases, the government anticipates significant revenue from shipping traffic, trade, GST, and other related sectors.  This initiative, at the same time, is also expected to reduce India’s dependence on imported minerals, including sand.

As per the Indian Bureau of Mines, the estimated price of 10 lakh tonnes of sea minerals is around Rs. 4,700 crore. So, what would be the total revenue from the 30.242 crore tonnes planned for extraction along Kerala’s coast? The numbers are indeed staggering.

Kerala’s objections fall on deaf ears
Despite formally registering its objection to the Offshore Areas Mineral Development and Regulation (OAMDR) Act amendments on the final day of public consultation (March 11, 2023), Kerala’s concerns were ignored.

One of the state’s key recommendations was a moratorium on seabed mining, citing that the loss of fish wealth would severely impact the fishing community’s social and economic stability. The state also objected to the royalty from mining being entirely allocated to the Centre, arguing that the state should receive a share of the revenue.

The Centre, meanwhile, is yet to respond to Kerala’s demand for representation in the Offshore Area Mineral Trust, a self-governing body that will oversee seabed mining operations.

Amid growing resistance, TN Prathapan, chairman of the Fishing Workers Coordination Council, has urged the Kerala Legislature to pass a unanimous resolution against the mining initiative. PP Chitharanjan, MLA and General Secretary of the Kerala State Fishing Workers Federation (CITU) has also strongly opposed the move, calling it an unacceptable encroachment on the state’s rights.

Kerala’s fishing sector at a glance

• Total number of fishing workers: 10.6 lakh (including both coastal and inland fishing workers)
• Length of coastline: 590 km
• Total fishing villages: 222
• Marine fish production (2023): 6,33,258 tonnes
• Annual fish consumption: Approximately 9.12 lakh tonnes
• Daily fish consumption: 2,000 – 22,000 tonnes

Protest march to Parliament
The chairman of the Fisheries Coordination Committee, T N Prathapan, has announced that various fishing workers’ unions in Kerala will march to Parliament on March 12 to protest the mining plan.

AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal, MP, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to withdraw its proposal to mine sea sand.

In his letter, Venugopal highlighted that seabed mining would devastate the fishing industry and marine ecology, posing severe threats to fishing communities’ livelihoods. Coastal seabed mining could also lead to grave environmental consequences, including coastal erosion.

He pointed out that India currently ranks second in global fish exports, which the Finance Minister highlighted in the previous budget. However, large-scale mining could completely undermine this achievement.

“This issue affects lakhs of fishing workers’ families who depend on the sea for their livelihood. No mining should be permitted without a comprehensive assessment of its social and ecological impact,” Venugopal wrote.