PANJIM: The Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) has initiated process to install CCTV cameras on the bank of River Chapora to help track down those involved in illegal sand mining.
The department has invited e-tender for supply and installation of CCTV cameras with centralised storage and viewing system at the bank of River Chapora.
DMG Director Ashutosh Apte told Herald that the government had made submission before National Green Tribunal that it would set up network of CCTV cameras to monitor the illegal sand mining activities taking place in Chapora River.
“After Chapora, we will also be installing CCTV cameras at other river banks, which are identified as sand mining zones,” he said.
Sand extraction has been stalled in the State on account of various orders of the courts as the extraction threatened riverine islands and plantations along river banks. NGT has in July directed forfeiture of Rs 20 lakh that the Goa government had deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board over its failure to put in place mechanisms to rein in illegal sand extraction in the State.
The cameras were to be installed latest by April this year. The NGT also warned of an additional forfeiture of Rs 20 lakh if the cameras were not installed in the next two months.
