TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Pointing out that no sand mining is permissible along coastal areas which come under the CRZ (coastal regulatory zone) notification, the National Green Tribunal has asked coastal districts, collectors and police from Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat to get coastal police stations to take stern action to stop such illegalities in CRZ areas.
The order by the tribunal, western zone bench, Pune, also pointed out that sand mining was permissible in small quantity to the traditional fishermen community under the specific short term licences issued by the collector for manual extraction after a notification dated November 8, 2011, was issued by the union environment and forest ministry (MoEF).
“Taking a pragmatic view of the matter, we deem it proper to direct that all collectors and police commissioners of the coastal zone areas/districts in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat as well as Goa, shall give instructions to coastal police stations to take immediate steps to have regular vigil in the coastal areas and to effectively arrest illegal sand mining in the area, which falls within the CRZ,” the bench comprising Justice V R Kingaonkar, judicial member and Dr Ajay A Deshpande, expert member said. The order in the application by Awaaz Foundation v/s State of Maharashtra & Others has said that the state government may, “if so required, depute home guards to assist the coastal police force to monitor the activities of keeping vigil and registering the cases against sand mafia” and asked the applicants “to point out and identify those who are dealing in the murky business of illegal sand mining and extraction.”
The respondents have been asked to file affidavits in reply and compliance reports by the next date of hearing. The bench has pointed out that it cannot overlook the fact that there is “regular abusive use of sand for construction activities, which are growing manifold.” Adding that, “The result, prima facie appears to be that the sand mafia are also increasing in number.”
The bench has said that the photographs placed on record prima facie show that there was grazing and, heavy activity of sand extraction from the coastal area. “It prima facie appears, therefore, that monitoring activity is not effectively carried out, so as to arrest illegal extraction of sand from the coastal zone area,” the order said.
