Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has identified 14 zones for sand extraction in Mandovi and Zuari rivers, informed Director of Mines and Geology Narayan Gad.
A study of these zones has already been undertaken through National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dona Paula to ascertain feasibility of sand extraction there. The State government has applied for Environment Clearance (EC) for these 14 zones while, an inspection of State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) was scheduled on Wednesday. Once ECs are obtained the Directorate of Mines and Geology will invite online application for allotment of sand extraction licences in these 14 zones, Gad said.
Meanwhile, boats have been allocated to the Goa police for continuous patrolling to curb illegal sand mining along the river beds.
Last month during a hearing before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the State government had withdrawn all ECs granted by the SEIAA for extraction of sand in Goa’s rivers. The government had stated that it would undertake the District Survey Report (DSR) as required under the sustainable sand mining guidelines and only thereafter apply for fresh ECs.
The Goa River Sand Protectors’ Network in November 2021 challenged the four environment clearances issued by the SEIAA for sand mining to the North Goa District Collector for four stretches along the River Chapora.