PANAJI
The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) inspected 14 zones in River Mandovi and Zuari, proposed by the State government for sand mining. The Authority is expected to meet on Thursday to decide on grant of Environment Clearance for sand extraction in these zones.
The Director of Mines Narayan Gad informed that the SEIAA expert members inspected the zones before deciding on the EC.
He said that these 14 zones were identified based on the baseline study undertaken by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO).
He said that once EC’s are obtained the department will invite online application for allotment of sand extraction licences in these 14 zones.
Last month, the State government had informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that it has withdrawn all the ECs granted by the SEIAA for sand mining and it will go for fresh process.
Legal sand mining activities have been banned in the State since 2018 after GRSPN approached the High Court seeking restrictions on the number of sand mining permits. The Directorate of Mines and Geology had issued over 300 sand mining permits for the 2017-18 seasons with a cap of 6,000 cum on extraction.
The Goa-SEIAA had in October 2021, granted EC to North Goa District Collector to carry out sand mining in River Chapora, manually by traditional communities. The decision of SEIAA was taken on the basis of a report submitted by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), who has also submitted a report with regards to Mandovi and Zuari rivers.
The ECs were granted for River Chapora “ Zone 1 in Morjim, Zone 2 in Pirna, Zone 3 in Camurlim, Zone 4 in Revora, Zone 5 in Ozorim, and Zone 6 in Agarwada.
