M-SAND POLICY

Subject: Environment

Context: The M-sand policy is likely to come into force in a few months with more changes, about issues such as license and transport, incorporated in it.

Concept :

• Manufactured sand is produced from hard granite stone by crushing. It is manufactured using technology like High Carbon steel hit the rock and then rock on rock process which is synonymous to that of natural process undergoing in river sand information.
• Limited availability of river and imported sand, the use of M-sand in construction activity had risen by 60-65%. Around 22,000 loads of M-sand were being supplied across the State, of which nearly 5,000 loads were sent to Chennai and neighboring areas.
• The crushed sand is cubical with grounded edges, washed and graded to as a construction material. The size of the M-Sand is less than 4.75mm.
• There were around 320 manufacturing units in the State that had been approved by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board for operation.

Benefits of M-Sand:

• M-Sand does not have the presence of impurities such as clay, dust and silt coatings, increase water requirement as in the case of river sand which impair bond between cement paste and aggregate. Thus, increased quality and durability of concrete.
• It does not contain an organic and soluble compound that affects the setting time and properties of cement, thus the required strength of concrete can be maintained.
• M-Sand can be crushed from hard granite rocks, it can be readily available at the nearby place, reducing the cost of transportation from far-off river sand bed.