PETALING JAYA: The first-ever shipment of Malaysian sand to the state of Tamil Nadu in India has arrived at its port in Thoothukudi despite criticism by environmentalists about the impact mass sand dredging would have on the natural conditions in Malaysia.
The cost of the imported sand, whose exact source in Malaysia remains unknown, was reported to be cheaper than that supplied by sand quarries in Tamil Nadu itself.
Citing private industry sources, the Times of India (TOI) reported today that a private firm based in Pudukottai had imported the consignment comprising 55,000 tonnes of sand last week.
It said the cost of the imported sand was estimated at Rupees 60 (RM4) per cubic feet, compared to river sand sourced in Tamil Nadu which could be sold between Rs 110 and Rs 120 (RM7 to RM8).
The report said local builders had hailed the landmark shipment as it raised hopes for city developers to overcome local shortage of river sand for construction work.
They said it would also help reduce the sand rates.
The report quoted S Ramaprabhu, honorary secretary of the Builders Association of India, Southern Centre, Chennai, as saying that the import had boosted the developers’ efforts in importing river sand from Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia and Cambodia.
He said the Tamil Nadu government should facilitate the initiative as it would reduce dependence and environmental exploitation on the state’s riverbeds.
“The Tamil Nadu government must take a cue from neighbouring Karnataka as the latter has already taken up the initiative to source sand from foreign countries,” he was quoted as saying.
“One consignment of 55,000 tonnes can cater for a week’s requirement of sand in Chennai and peripheries.”
The TOI report however added that the consignment had yet to leave the port premises due to a reported restraining order issued by the local district collector against transporting the imported sand.
The Hindu newspaper had reported last month that the government of another Indian state, Kerala, had also agreed to import sand from Malaysia to meet construction supply shortages and address environmental implications of river sand mining there.
On Aug 9, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was reported by The Sun as saying that Putrajaya had yet to grant approval for any company in the country to export sand to India.
“Any country can say they are going to import sand from Malaysia. As far as I know, we are not going to export sand to India,” he had said.
“Despite the sand export ban (since 1997) being lifted in 2015, the government has yet to approve any exports,” he added.
Wan Junaidi was commenting on an earlier assertion by Karnataka’s law minister TB Jayachandra that a Malaysian company has been shortlisted to export the sand which would be available in Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka, at 175 rupees (RM11.75) for a 50kg bag.
FMT had on Aug 9 reported Anthony Tan Kee Huat, executive director of the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (Cetdem), as expressing concern about the negative impact sand exports to India would have on Malaysia’s environment and natural resources.
Pointing out that the Indian states were reported to have wanted to conserve their natural resources, he said: “What about conserving our own natural resources?”
He had also questioned the credibility of the two Malaysian companies said to be in negotiations with the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu state governments, asking if they were licensed to explore and dredge river sand here in Malaysia. -FMT
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