PANJIM: Following the killing one labourer in a shootout at Bansai-Curchorem allegedly during illegal sand mining, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to expedite the process of resuming sand extraction within legal framework.
During the meeting, Sawant directed the officials of the Directorate of Mines and Geology and Environment department to simplify and expedite the process of granting Environment Clearance (EC) for sand mining.
"CM raised concern over illegal mining. Has directed authorities to expedite all process to resume sand extraction legally," sources said.
The meeting was attended by the District Collectors, officials of DMG, Environment department, Captain of Ports, Police and Public Works department.
DMG had not renewed or granted sand mining permits for the last three seasons – 2018, 2019 and 2020 and 2021– after an NGO had approached the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking restrictions on the number of sand mining permits.
With DMG not granting permits, illegal sand mining was rampant across State ever since 2018.
Following directions from the Court, National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) had undertaken a study on Sand Mining Impact and River Biodiversity Index at rivers of Chapora, Mandovi, Zuari, Tiracol, etc.
Based on the report, the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) in September 2021 granted a green signal for the grant of EC at seven sites with a cap of 15 cubic metres per permit per day for each location.
In Chapora, permission has been granted for sand mining in Zone 1, in Morjim in Zone 2, Pirna in Zone 5, Ozorim in Zone 6, Agarwada in Zone 3 of Part I and Camurlim in Zone 3 of Part II and Zone 4 in Revora.
However, the petitioner Goa river sand protectors’ network (GRSPN), challenged the EC granted by the SEIAA allowing sand mining in four river stretches in the state.