Last Updated: 17.07.24

A few years ago, it was a regular occurrence to find enormous craters all along Alibag’s beaches. Large quantities of sand are illegally mined from Indian beaches and river beds for use in the manufacture of construction materials such as concrete. Alibag is particularly susceptible to the theft of sand due to the construction activity rife in the region.

Following a series of complaints filed by activist Sumaira Abdulali (who later joined BEAG) with the Raigad District Collector’s office about sand being mined from Alibag’s Kihim beach, the mining seemed to stop—but only during the day. At the dead of moonless nights, trucks continued to cart away huge quantities of sand from the beach.

One night in May 2002, at about 4.30 am, activists and volunteers of BEAG blocked the only exit road from Kihim beach that was being used by the trucks carrying away stolen sand. BEAG registered a case with the Raigad District Collector and a very heavy fine was imposed on the truckers.

No further violations were recorded for a year. But in May 2003, the Raigad District Collector was transferred, and shortly after, a bulldozer drove onto the beach one night and carried away the equivalent of about ten truckloads of sand. BEAG filed a complaint with the new Raigad District Collector and was assured that a police checkpoint would be established at Kihim and other spots in the Alibag area. All sand quarrying licences were suspended and all quarrying in the entire region was prohibited.