Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that the government will streamline licences for sand mining and stone quarrying in the State.
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting at Porvorim, he said that the Cabinet approved a proposal to streamline the process related to allotment of licences for traditional sand mining and laterite stone mining in the State. He said that clearance has been received for sand mining in the North Goa district and people could apply for licences. People could also apply for NOCs for stone quarrying and licences in private property will be given within a month. People could also apply for permission with the Directorate of Mines and Geology for quarrying on both, the Comunidade land and the government land with due NOCs, he said.
The Chief Minister said that permissions for sand mining will be granted within 30 to 45 days. The Directorate of Mines and Geology will grant the leases officially for which the government has started the process of formulating rules, he added.
The Chief Minister said that the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has already submitted its study report giving clearance for allotment of sand extraction licences in the Chapora River. Licence allotment has already started, he added.
According to Sawant, for Mandovi River, Zuari River and other rivers in South Goa district, the NIO report is yet to be received. The NIO report for two more rivers is expected by next month, he informed.
Sawant said that the High Court of Bombay at Goa is monitoring the process of sand mining. Based on the NIO report, quantity and patches for sand extraction will be decided, he added.
Those who wish to take up laterite stone mining on private land will have to apply to the Directorate of Mines and Geology and also apply parallel on the Government of India portal for environment clearance (EC). If Comunidade managing committee has granted NOC, the EC can also be sought using the same, said Sawant.
