Illegal sand mining has escalated in Sembiyanpatru North, Vadamarachchi East, despite repeated complaints from local residents and environmental activists. Large quantities of sand are being extracted overnight, using multiple excavators, and transported to the Maruthankeni area, depleting natural resources and causing significant damage to the region’s landscape.
Residents report that the extensive excavation has left large pits in the region, which have filled with water, creating dangerous sinkholes and altering the local ecosystem. The unchecked extraction of sand has not only affected groundwater levels but has also posed risks to agriculture and livelihoods, as soil erosion intensifies in the area.
Despite the alarming environmental impact, those who raise concerns about illegal mining—including local villagers and journalists—are facing intimidation and threats from individuals involved in the illicit operation. Reports indicate that sand smugglers are actively silencing critics to prevent public exposure of their activities.
Such threats against environmental defenders and independent journalists reflect a broader pattern of repression in the North-East, where individuals who challenge state-backed exploitation and corruption often face harassment and violence.
Despite the scale of the illegal activity, neither the police nor relevant authorities have taken any visible action to curb the sand mining operations. Daily extractions continue unabated, raising questions about the complicity of local officials and law enforcement in enabling the destruction of the region’s environment.
The failure of authorities to intervene comes amid broader concerns about resource exploitation in the Tamil homeland, where state-backed colonisation and militarisation have facilitated land grabs, deforestation, and now, unchecked sand mining.
Local residents are demanding immediate intervention from environmental authorities and law enforcement to halt the destruction and hold those responsible accountable. Environmental groups and human rights activists have urged international organisations to take note of the systematic exploitation of Tamil lands and to pressure Sri Lanka into upholding environmental protections.
