India's Sand Mafia: The Dark Secrets of India's Booming Construction Industry

India's building boom has spawned an illegal trade in sand. Plundering the environment and even killing those who get in its way, the "sand mafia" has spread its influence throughout India. Subscribe to Journeyman here: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=journeymanpictures

Sand is the key to the construction industry, but there is no legal supply to meet the increasing demand. Accordingly, criminal gangs are ravaging riverbeds and beaches. Sumaira Abdulali recounts the damage done to her local beach: "the whole level of sand has dropped by about 10 feet ... They’ve really destroyed it". When she tried to report the perpetrators, she was met with fierce resistance. "They bashed up the car, broke everything. They hit all of us. They broke my teeth." Sumaira now campaigns to expose this black-market trade, which harms many living near sand supplies. Brijmohan Yadav, like many farmers in his region, had his plot devastated by illegal sand mining. However, his complaints were ignored: "the mafia is so influential. They have police and local authorities on their side". Brijmohan began to fight for his land, but ended up fighting for his life. "These people kidnapped me and took me to an isolated place. They beat me up and threatened to kill me if I did not stop all this." Whilst there is an almost blanket ban on unlicensed mining across India, in remote, rural areas it continues unabated.

For similar stories, see:
India's Environment Destroyed By Dangerous 'Rat-Hole' Mining
https://youtu.be/jEcA6jnaRek?list=PLlGSlkijht5i5GP9QXia5sFfv7RkPvInQ
Saving India's Child Geniuses from Poverty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY7QOcf1LV8&list=PLlGSlkijht5i5GP9QXia5sFfv7RkPvInQ
The Children Working On Indian Coal Mines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZA5Az09Zj4&list=PLlGSlkijht5i5GP9QXia5sFfv7RkPvInQ

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