MARGAO
Beleaguered sand transporters on Saturday knocked the doors of the government with a plea to intervene and get the sand traders in Kudal in neighbouring Maharashtra to allow them to transport sand to Goa or stop the illegal entry of sand at the Goa border immediately .
The sand transporters from Margao and neighbouring areas called on the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai on Saturday to draw his attention to the injustice meted out to them at Kudal and the free movement of illegal sand transportation undertaken by the transporters from across the borders.
They pointed out that their vehicles are not allowed to load sand at Kudal by the local traders, but the sand from that place is being transported illegally to Goa without permits. “Our vehicles with valid permits are not allowed to load sand at Kudal. We have been out of business since the last one month and half. On one side, mining ban has affected our transportation business, and the now this sand mining thing has only compounded our problems,” they said.
The delegation pointed out that if the Kudal transporters make two trips to Goa every day, they should allow the Goan sand transporters to make at least one trip, which will help them to run their business.
After giving the delegation a patient hearing, the TCP Minister said that the demand for a ban on the import of sand into Goa may not be tenable as it will cripple the construction industry. “We understand the sentiments of the sand transporters as well as the requirements of the construction industry,” he said, adding that he would speak to the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who holds the Mines portfolio, how to best strike a balance between demand of the transporters and the needs of the construction industry.
Sardesai has now asked the sand transporters to meet him in Panaji on Monday, assuring to hold a joint meeting with the Director General of Police and the Director of Mines to see how best and in what manner the imbroglio could be resolved.
“This government is quite clear that outside transporters who bring sand into Goa should not have any monopoly over the business. At the same time, I am not in favour of a stop in the import of sand from across the border as it would only affect the construction business,” he said.
Leader of the sand transporters, Inacio Gonsalves, later told the media that they are at the receiving end of their Kudal counterparts as they are not allowed to load sand in the Goa-registered trucks. “If they are not allowing us to load sand, trucks from Kudal should also not be allowed entry into the state, since many of them ply without legal permits,” he said.
