The Bombay High Court at Goa rapped the State government for its failure to stop illegal sand mining despite repeated directions from the court. The court bench pulled up the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police for failing to act and asked for a detailed affidavit explaining why there has been no action. Also, the Police Inspector and Mamlatdar of Pernem taluka are directed to file an affidavit on illegal sand extraction from River Tiracol.
It is obvious that there is a clear lack of will to rein in the illegality of sand mining because of the political influences involved and the flourishing sand mining activity across the State, carried out under the cover of the midnight darkness, only exposes the fact that authorities have no real intentions in arresting this illegality. This reflects badly on a system which has allowed the illegality overlooking the damage it is inflicting on a fragile ecosystem of rivers, while it also makes one lose faith in the effectiveness of the judicial system. The government machinery has consistently and consciously failed to implement the court orders banning sand extraction despite responsibilities being fixed on authorities.
While Goa has seen brief pauses in sand extraction, the ban has been largely ineffective because of the nexus involved. On that count, the ban has worked in two ways: one, it has allowed those in the business to make more money by hiking up prices of sand to the extent of seven to eight times the normal rates, and second, it has raised the stakes of the middlemen who are instrumental in allowing this illegality for a price. Sand extraction, though illegal, continues to be a thriving business, and this is not the first time the reluctance to act has come to light. In February, this year, the National Green Tribunal took cognizance of a 2-month delay by Goa Statement Environment Impact Assessment to respond to a notice challenging green clearances given to sand mining in four rivers.
Unfortunately, the government consistently failed not only to comply with several court orders but has grossly overlooked the brazen damage the activity is inflicting on our water bodies. That’s sad because the common discourse has been about protecting Goa’s identity and its environment and what we are witnessing is an utter disregard for these prized assets of the State. The worse part is that even the judiciary has not been respected.
The court had earlier directed the police to seize and destroy unregistered canoes, impound trucks illegally transporting sand, and install CCTV cameras at illegal sand mining sites. Such stringent directives could have been enough deterrents against any illegality, but these haven’t worked in the case of sand mining. It’s time to accept the bitter reality that there is no will on the part of authorities to stop it, and, hence, once again citizens who are fighting a lone battle to save Goa’s pristine rivers from degradation will still look to the court as their last resort.
