MARGAO
Sand crisis looms large in Salcete with the men-in-uniform tightening the screws on the illegal sand extraction and the supply of sand from Kudal and other areas of neighbouring Maharashtra coming to an abrupt halt since the last few days.
Resultantly, sand availability has suddenly gone beyond the reach of the construction contractors as well as the common man. And, given that the stock of sand is fast depleting, the rate of sand has skyrocketed to such an extent that common man can hardly afford to buy.
What has caused the virtually disappearance of sand from the State? Well, sources in the know have attributed two factors that have contributed to the acute sand shortage witnessed in the State.
One, the recent High Court directions, which had pulled up the Goa Police, has had an impact on the ground, sources said, with the illegal sand extraction coming to an abrupt halt at least for the time being.
That’s not all. Sand coming from Kudal and other areas too have stopped for some time now with local sand transporters not allowing the sand coming from the neighbouring state. Reason: Local sand transporters are up in arms over the sand transported from the neighbouring state for the simple reason that their vehicles are not allowed to transport sand into the State.
A visit to the road near the Raviraj hotel below the Margao flyover reveals a fleet of empty trucks lying idle and parked along the roadside. In fact, the road below the flyover near the Raviraj hotel is considered a hub for sand trading, with contractors and the common man descending at the place to purchase sand.
Inquiries have only revealed that transportation of sand has come to a stop since the last few days, leaving the vehicles idle.
Secretary of South Goa Sand Transporters Association Prashant Naik pointed out that sand crisis is looming large in the State, including South Goa. “There’s complete stop in the transportation of sand in the last few days. Sand has stopped coming from Kudal and other areas of Maharashtra too over the dispute between the sand transporters from Maharashtra and Goa as a result of which sand is not available in the market today,” he said.
Prashant has raised serious questions how the government will meet the requirements of the construction industry. “Some time back, the sand transporters had petitioned to the Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar to lead a delegation to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who had assured to work out a solution at the earliest. It’s now couple of months since the meeting took place with the Chief Minister, but a solution has still eluded the issue till date.”
He said the Goa government should explore the option to allow import of sand from Karwar and other areas of neighbouring Karnataka to tide over the sand crisis. “I think the time has come for the government to open the State’s southern border for sand from Karnataka. In the past, the sand requirement of South Goa was met primarily from Karwar and other parts of Karnataka. In this crisis, the government should explore the possibility of importing sand from Karwar,” he added.
