PONDA: Traditional sand extractors in Ponda Taluka at Savoiverem, Volvoi, and various areas bordering Mandovi River demanded that the government immediately stop sand transportation from Maharashtra to Goa and requested to expedite procedure immediately for giving permissions to Goan traditional sand extractors for starting their legal sand mining activities.
“This will provide relief to traditional sand extractors who have no other source of earning livelihood,” said a sand extractor.
They warned they will approach court if sand transportation from Maharashtra to Goa is not stopped.
“We are struggling to earn a livelihood for our family while Maharashtra sand transporters are doing brisk business in Goa. If we extract sand than police conduct raids and seize our sand but several trucks from Maharashtra transport sand in Goa,” said a sand extractor from Ponda.
“At present there is a process to give permissions only at Tiracol and Chapora but at the rest of places sand extractors are waiting for licences and environment clearances,” the traditional sand extractors said.
Its four years now that their families and children are suffering for earning a livelihood after sand mining extraction activities were banned in 2018 after some NGOs approached the court.
“Around 500 sand extractors and their families depend on sand mining in Goa, besides truck drivers, workers, hotel owners but they have lost their livelihood as sand extraction activities are not fully resumed in Goa,” they added.
Sand extractors alleged that many sand laden trucks enter in Goa illegally without legal documents.
“Recently we caught red-handed five sand transporting trucks from Kudal, Sindhudurgh-Maharashtra to Margao and handed them over to Ponda Police,” extractors said adding that after complaints police arrested truck drivers and seized vehicles but sand transportation is not stopped from Maharashtra.