PANJIM: The Goa Rivers Sand Protectors Network has accused Deputy Collector Deepak Vaigankar with turning a blind eye to illegal sand mining in the North Goa district. In her submission before the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday, Advocate Normal Alvares, counsel for the petitioner, alleged that the Deputy Collector has been unresponsive.
“The officer appointed in South Goa to take action in case of illegal sand extraction has been very responsive to the complaints made and as a result the problem is substantially contained. However, the officer in North Goa is not responsive and as a result, there was illegal sand mining taking place,” she alleged.
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The Division Bench of Justice M S Sonak and Justice M S Jawalkar is hearing a writ petition along with a contempt petition regarding the rampant illegal extraction of sand in Goa.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam said he will not only look into a complaint dated May 25, 2021 regarding the matter but also file an affidavit of the concerned Deputy Collector concerning the complaint as well as other complaints which he may have received. The AG assured that status report of the Deputy Collector will positively be filed by next week.
The Court has adjourned the matter to July 5, 2021 for further consideration while stating, “If for any reason, the affidavit or the status report cannot be filed, then Deepak Vaigankar, the Deputy Collector appointed to attend to the complaints in North Goa to virtually attend court proceedings with the record of action if any taken by him on the issue of unauthorised sand extraction.”
