PANAJI
In a major setback to the Goa government’s plan to resume the sand extraction along the river beds at the earliest, the State cannot grant any sand mining permits till August, when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is expected to hold final hearing in the matter.
Until then, all the applications related to the grant of Environmental Clearance (EC) would be kept on hold by the Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (Goa-SEIAA). NGT has postponed the final hearing to August 8, which was slated this month.
The NGT via an order dated March 17, 2023 had stated that SEIAA cannot issue any permits for sand extraction in the State till the final hearings take place. Accordingly, the SEIAA during its meeting held in June 2023, resolved “after perusing the order dated 17/3/2023, issued by National Green Tribunal, Western Bench Pune, the Authority decided to put the matter on hold until the final hearing of NGT”.
Legal sand mining activities have been banned in the State since 2018 after the Goa River Sand Protectors Network (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 season with a cap of 6,000 cum on extraction.
Sources informed that since the matter continues to remain pending before the NGT; State cannot go ahead with grant of EC and permits. “The State government is on record before the NGT that it will not grant sand extraction permits till NGT decides on the matter,” sources said.
Goa Foundation Director Claude Alvares, who is closely monitoring the matter, said “the final hearing is postponed to August 8 and till then no permits can be granted”.
“Anyways, from June 1 onwards, being monsoon season, sand mining activities are banned,” he said adding ‘we will have to wait and see if NGT gives some relief for the coming season’.
The Goa River Sand Protectors Network (GRSPN) in November 2021 had filed an appeal before the Tribunal challenging the Goa-SEIAA ECs for sand extraction in 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. It alleged that the EC by the Goa-SEIAA are against the law laid down by the Supreme Court and the tribunal.
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.
