Team Herald
PANJIM: The Goa Rivers Sand Protectors Network has filed a contempt petition against the State authorities for failing to stop illegal sand mining in the State.
This was the second time the Goa Rivers Sand Protectors Network through its secretary Claude Alvares filed the contempt petition against the State government for failing to comply with the Court’s order to stop illegal sand mining in the State.
The first contempt petition filed in January 2021 was disposed of by the High Court of Bombay at Goa in April last year, after the Court stated that it was satisfied with the measures taken by the government authorities to stop illegal sand mining across
the State.
In December 2019, the High Court while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition had directed the State government through its police machinery as well as Department of Transport to regularly patrol these areas and check the transport vehicles carrying sand to verify whether the same was backed by valid permissions and
authorisations.
The Court had also directed the police to prosecute the transporters under the relevant sections of the IPC as well as MMDR Act if they were unable to indicate the source from where such sand or gravel was mined and to produce necessary permissions/authorisations for
transportation.
On Tuesday, the petitioner produced photographs indicating that illegal sand mining activities are persisting and ongoing. He brought to the notice of the Court that even on Monday, some illegal sand mining was carried out at Jua, Virdi, where there were stacks of sand kept. He also gave details of places where sand mining was taking place.
However, Additional Government Advocate Deep Shirodkar sought time to take instructions on this aspect from the concerned authorities who are tasked with monitoring and patrolling the rivers. He also sought two weeks' time to file an affidavit indicating the action that has been taken from time to time as well as details of the monitoring that is being done to curb illegal sand mining. He further submitted that the orders of the Court are complied with.
The matter has now been posted for further hearing on March 4.