PANAJI
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has extended its interim ban on sand mining activities in Goa until August 18, offering no immediate relief to the State government. The green bench has now scheduled the matter for final arguments on that date.
In its order dated April 24, the bench observed, “Since it is appraised by the learned counsel for the parties that pleadings are complete in these matters, we direct the Registry to list these matters for final arguments on 18.08.2026. Interim relief shall be continued.”
The tribunal had earlier extended the ban in February till April 23. It is currently hearing 12 appeals filed by the Goa River Sand Protection Network, which has challenged the Environmental Clearances granted in February last year by the Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for sand mining in designated zones.
In its submission, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority told the tribunal that while sand mining is prohibited in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas, the removal of sand bars through traditional methods is permitted under existing guidelines.
Director of Environment Sachin Desai placed on record a November 2021 notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, which allows traditional coastal communities to remove sand bars in intertidal areas using manual methods. The notification also empowers State governments to permit such activity for a specified period and quantity, subject to conditions such as registration of local community members and annual renewal of permissions.
Citing these provisions, the GCZMA argued before the tribunal that the present appeals are liable to be dismissed.
Earlier, the Goa-SEIAA informed the NGT that the Directorate of Mines and Geology had failed to disclose that the identified sand extraction sites fell within CRZ/ICRZ areas. The authority stated that had this been clearly indicated, it would have insisted on prior clearance from the GCZMA before granting Environmental Clearance.
Referring to the April 26, 2022 Office Memorandum issued by the Environment Ministry, the bench had earlier observed that projects in CRZ areas must first obtain recommendations from the GCZMA before being considered for clearance by SEIAA. “This procedure does not appear to have been followed in the case in hand,” the tribunal had noted during a January hearing.
The SEIAA has maintained that its decision was based on a report by the National Institute of Oceanography, which identified zones where sand extraction could be carried out with minimal environmental impact. However, it reiterated that non-disclosure of the CRZ status by the Mines Department compromised the statutory clearance process.
