THE indiscriminate sand mining from the rivers in Kerala has become a major threat to environment as most of them have been transformed into "skeleton streams" pushing down the underground water tables in the basins of these rivers.

The current rate of daily mining is so high that the damage is irreparable. Despite restrictions on sand mining, truckloads of sand are removed and smuggled out in connivance with law-enforcing authorities, he alleged.

The worst-affected rivers are Achankovil, Pamba, Manimala, Meenachel, Muvattupuzha, Periyar and Chalakudy.