Villagers stage protest against mechanised dredging in Thane creek

Villagers engaged in manual sand mining staged a protest against mechanised dredging in a creek in Maharashtras Thane district on Monday. According to the protestors, 20,000 to 25,000 people, including locals and tribal labourers, depend on manual sand mining, and they were afraid of losing their livelihood as mechanised dredgers were being permitted to extract sand.

Villagers engaged in manual sand mining staged a protest against mechanised dredging in a creek in Maharashtra's Thane district on Monday. Protestors took out 150 boats to the middle of the creek between Kasheli and Gaimukh, showed black flags and shouted slogans. According to the protestors, 20,000 to 25,000 people, including locals and tribal labourers, depend on manual sand mining, and they were afraid of losing their livelihood as mechanised dredgers were being permitted to extract sand.