Sand washed up on northern farmland attracts dark hands View(s):By S. RubatheesanDozens of tippers and tractors have been seen at paddy fields trying to collect sand deposited from the late November flooding. Farmers in Kandawalai, Vattakachchi, Pannankandy, and Mahizaknkaadu of Kilinochchi say they have informed the authorities, including the Northern Governor’s Secretariat, about the plunder. “Our family was displaced since our house was also flooded, but someone told me that tractors are clearing sand from our land,” he told the Sunday Times. Temporary police posts have been set up in flooded paddy fields to prevent illegal sand mining. “The ongoing sand mining poses a huge threat to farmers, particularly those who depend on the Iranamadu tank for farming.

Source: Sunday Times December 28, 2025 11:31 UTC