PANAJI
The Goa Police has registered a total of 121 cases pertaining to illegal sand mining in the State and has secured one conviction -- a driver who was fined Rs 8,000 and sentenced to simple imprisonment until the rising of the court by the JMFC Curchorem, the police have informed the High Court.
In an affidavit filed before the High Court, which is currently hearing an ongoing petition against illegal sand mining in Goa, Superintendent of Police (Legal and Vigilance) Bossuet Silva told the court that the police were serious about tackling the menace and have been acting, often even without complaints being registered, against illegal sand mining.
“Since December 18, 2019 (the date the HC ordered the police to crack down on illegal sand mining) till Dec 31, 2020, there were 28 cases registered in North Goa and all cases have been charge-sheeted and presently pending trial. In South Goa (during the same period) there were 29 cases registered out of which 26 cases were charge-sheeted, 3 cases were finalised (1 C final report is granted and two A final reports are pending before the court). Two cases registered by coastal security were finalised,” SP Silva told the court.
“Curchorem PS Cr No. 21/2020 ended in conviction wherein accused driver of the truck is sentenced by the JMFC Sanguem to undergo SI till rising of the court and to pay fine of Rs 3,000 for the offence punishable under Section 379 IPC and SI till the rising of the court and to pay fine of Rs 5,000 for the offence punishable under Section 38 of Goa Daman and Diu Minor Minerals Concession Rule 1985,” he added.
From January 2021 to December 2021, 34 cases were registered in North Goa out of which 24 cases have been charge-sheeted and nine cases are finalised due to lack of evidence. 20 cases have been charge-sheeted and two cases are finalised due to lack of evidence.
Out of the 34 cases 20 cases were registered against the driver and 22 trucks were seized and 14 cases were registered against illegal sand extraction and sand stacked, and two canoes and stands stacked were seized.
Out of 20 cases in South Goa in 12 cases 24 trucks and one JCB were seized, the remaining eight cases were registered against illegal sand extraction and the sand stacked and two canoes, one crane was seized.
Since January 2022 till date, 10 cases have been registered in Goa -- six in the south and three in the north and one by the harbour coastal security. In six of the cases, eight trucks were seized while in the remaining four cases, the cases were registered while the sand stacked and two canoes were seized. Out of the 10, six cases are charge-sheeted and four are under investigation.
The Bombay High Court at Goa has come down heavily on the authorities in Goa for failing to crack down on illegal sand mining and has ordered police patrolling, seizure and destruction of canoes and impounding trucks that transport the sand while observing that the authorities were ever ready to be hoodwinked.
“Despite several orders, illegal sand mining activity continues. The authorities, who were duty-bound to prevent this sand mining, do not appear to be seriously interested in implementing the orders made by us from time to time. According to us, the persons involved in illegal sand mining are out to hoodwink the authorities. Unfortunately, we find that in many cases even the authorities appear to be too eager to be hoodwinked,” the High Court bench of Justices M S Sonak and M S Jawalkar, had said.
“The Police authorities, in particular, are most lax when it comes to preventing illegal and unauthorised sand mining. The Director-General of Police (DGP) must issue strict instructions to the concerned police stations to render all possible cooperation to the authorities taking steps to prevent illegal sand mining. The DGP should also issue strict instructions to all the concerned police stations to attend to the complaints about illegal sand mining, promptly," the court stated.
"There are instances where the Police authorities simply refuse to come to the sites. The DGP is expected to take action against the police officials who indulge in this type of dereliction of duties,” the High Court ruled.
